Episode III: the Coming of the Slayer
by Pandora North Star
Summary: A Star Wars/Buffy Crossover. Willow's rage reaches out to the dark side, and when Darth Sidious recruits her, the Jedi have no choice but to recruit Buffy. Will Obi Wan betray his bows for his new Padawan? Will Spike become a Sith? *FINISHED!*
1. Default Chapter

Title: Star Wars: Episode III: The Coming of the Slayer  
By: Pandora North Star*  
Summary: The Scooby gang ends up on opposite sides of the force when they are called across the universe to help in an intergalactic war. (Set after Villains and Episode II)  
  
Part One  
Not so long ago, in a very recent past a young woman, of great power was wronged. So she took it upon herself to avenge her dead lover. Her dark power called across the universe to a great man of evil. His name was Lord Sidious. About the same time, another person called out in pain. His anger stretched across the universe.  
But to every force there is an equal and opposite one. Master JedI Yoda, felt the conviction of a young woman, who was so full of the force he knew she would be key in the Clone Wars.   
  
"Senator Dooku." Lord Sidious beckoned his new protégée into the room. The senator nodded and entered. The door slid closed behind him. In front of Lord Sidious there was a hologram map of the known galaxies. "Do you know about the planet earth?" Lord Sidious's knarled hand reached out from the folds of his robe and pointed.   
"I believe it is on the outer rim, in the Milky Way Galaxy. Primitive, isn't it?"  
"Yes. It is. But there is a great force growing there. Can you feel it." Senator Dooku closed his eyes and rubbed his graying beard.  
"Yes Master. I sense it."  
"The Clone Wars have only begun. My plans have just been set in motion."  
"Are you suggesting we look into having this force nearer to us?"  
"I might be."   
*************************************************************************************  
Master Yoda gazed out the window of the high rise on Corusant. "Master Windu, arriven you are."  
"Yes, Master Yoda." Mace window nodded and sat in his chair. He pressed his fingers together to wait for the wisdom from the small Jedi in front of him.  
"Growing the Dark Side Is."  
"Yes. I'm worried too."  
"Hope we have."  
"Hope?"  
"Earth. I have been feeling the power of the force. Clouded by the dark side, the light side shines through." Yoda turned slowly, his three fingers gripping his walking stick. "The loss of Anakin is a great one."  
"What do you suggest then?"  
"Finding this power. For Obi Wan Kenobi a new Padawan is in store."  
"On that planet? It barely touches the outer rim. I doubt they have even heard of The Republic, no less the force."  
"The point, entirely it is." Yoda smiled, his knowing smile. "Strange times, coming are they."  
"Yes master. I will call the council to make the plans."  
*************************************************************************************  
Xander and Buffy stood in the woods, watching Willow walk away, hardly certain of what they had seen, but only knew it was an act of pure evil, untouched by hate or fury, that drove normal mortal darkness. A soft whirring sound came and they turned. A blue glow spread out from the trees a few hundred yards away. Buffy nodded to Xander and they trooped towards the light. Buffy stopped suddenly, and Xander bumped into her.  
A silver spaceship sat in a clearing. A door opened and a man walked out. He was wearing dark brown robes and had the beginnings of a beard.   
"Good day."   
"Who are you?" Buffy asked, exchanging glances with Xander.  
"My name is Obi Wan Kenobi. I am on a mission from Corusant."  
"From where? What is that? Is this some secret military operation?" Buffy remembered The Initiative, and the all to recent return of Riley.   
"Corusant, it is a planet in another galaxy, in the center of the republic." The man bit his lip. "I'm afraid I don't know how to explain this very well." He licked his lips. "Here it goes. I am a Jedi. I am a keeper of intergalactic peace for The Republic. A war has just started, between The Republic and Separatists. I use the Force, the thing that makes all life, to keep the peace. My Master has felt The Force coming strong from your planet, especially you, and bid you come to help us in the fight. If we lose it will effect the entire universe."  
Buffy and Xander burst out laughing. "God, what cult set this up?"  
"Excuse me?"  
"We just don't think you are for real?"  
"My Master did not believe you would. He said earth was primitive, and uninformed in the ways of the Universe."  
"Whatever. We have a crazy witch to save." Buffy turned and started walking away. Suddenly there was a buzz by her ear and there landed in front of her a glowing stick, in a tree.   
"You will listen." Buffy turned as Obi Wan Kenobi walked over to the tree and pulled out the stick.  
"How did you do that?" Xander's jaw dropped.   
"This is my light saber." Obi Wan Kenobi pressed a button at the bottom of the light stick and it turned off. "I can not make you come unless it is of your own free will."  
"I'm all for going Buffy. Maybe there can help us with Willow."  
"Are you serious Xander? She's crazy evil and you want to hop on a fake spaceship because he has a cool Disney Ice Show Glow toy?" The earth shook and Obi wan Kenobi went pale.  
"The Siths." He charged past Buffy. They followed Obi Wan Kenobi and watched a ship stop in front of Willow.  
"My, what's this?" Willow snickered as Senator Dooku hopped out.   
"You're the one." The Senator murmured. "Good day, young one. I am Senator Dooku of the Separatists, in the Clone Wars, taking place elsewhere in the universe."  
"Uh huh? Bored Now."  
"We want to teach you to use your power for the dark side of the force."  
"Of course, he's evil. I bet he's the Sith master." Obi Wan whispered to himself.   
"I promise you unending power if you'll come with me."  
"Why not." Willow's eyes flashed as she followed the man back to the ship.  
"Oh god. This isn't happening." Buffy buried her head in Xander's shoulder. "This is like some bad sci-fi movie gone wrong. Can we wake up now."  
"Come along. We don't have time to spare." Obi Wan said gently. Xander guided Buffy back to the ship, she didn't have the effort to argue. On the ship Obi Wan helped them find a spot to sit.  
"What's that?" buffy nodded to a little round blue and white thing in the corner.  
"That's R2D2. He's a droid."  
"Like a robot?" Xander waved his hand in front of the little thing and it beeped to life. Xander chuckled as it started spinning around.   
"Calm down R2. It's alright."   
"So like how far is Corusant from here?"  
"A couple minutes once we get into Hyperdrive. Maybe a few hours till then."  
"Are you kidding? A couple hours to get across the universe?"  
"No. Across the Galaxy."  
"That's really fast."  
"What are your names by the way? I suppose I should know them if you're going to be trained in the way of the Jedi."  
"Hey man." Buffy held her arms up. "We're coming along but we aren't committing ourselves to anything."  
"Of course." Obi Wan nodded, but he had a smirk on his face.   
"I'm Buffy. This is Xander. That dark girl was our friend, who is having some trouble."  
"Yes. I hate to say it but I'm worried about her. She was pulled to the dark side." Obi Wan rubbed his chin.   
"Wait. I know this!" They looked at Xander who jumped out of his chair. "Fear leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. Suffering leads to the dark side."  
"That's right." Obi Wan agreed, in surprise.  
"I'm not sure how I knew that."  
"Your first mission when we get there is to retrieve my ex Padawan Anakin. The Council can't risk losing anymore Jedi right now. The first battle proved great."  
"But you can lose us?"  
"Rather the opposite. We know we won't lose you. And looking at you now," Obi Wan paused to consider Buffy. "I'm certain of it."  
"Cos she's the Slayer. She's already died three times. Death is like a daily activity for her." Xander said proudly.  
"Interesting." Obi Wan murmured, focusing his attention on flying.   
Buffy was speechless, as they approached Corusant. "It's like the Jetsons. Like really."  
"So many people. Such a small place." Xander agreed. The ship docked on top of a building and they climbed out.   
"Welcome young earthlings." A strange green creature waved his hand. Xander and Buffy looked at each other.  
"Is it just me, or is that Kermit the Frog in clothing?"   
"It's not just you."  
"Buffy, Xander, Meet Master Yoda. He will be helping you learn the ways of the Jedi."  
"Again why will this help us stop our friend?"  
"Involved now she is, in the fate of the universe. Special you are."  
"Hey, he talks backward." Xander laughed and Buffy elbowed him in the ribs, upon seeing the serious faces of the men and women around her, in loose tan robes.   
"I suggest you follow quietly." Obi Wan said, leading them into the building. 


	2. Part 2

Part Two  
"What are you doing here?"  
"How the bloody hell should I know? And what the hell happened to you?" Spike and Willow glared at each other from opposite seats in the Space Ship.  
"Darth Sidious will be so pleased to meet you both. Your dark powers are great."   
"Yeah, and you promised me more. Where is it?" Willow raised an impatient brow. The gray haired man chuckled and touched her face. She flinched.   
"All in good time. You won't be so impatient once you meet My Lord."  
"You keep saying that."   
"What do I have to do with all of this. I get the whole evil Wicca thing, but I'm not much of a fighter anymore."  
"Don't worry about it. We can fix you, where we come from." Senator Dooku touched Spike's head, and Spike's eyes widened in surprise.   
"You mean…?"  
"In return you will work for us."  
"I don't know." Spike closed his eyes, and visions of his last moments with Buffy passed through his mind. Images of her horror, his horror, and their pain. He loved her, but he needed to be free of it, before it killed him. And why not? He could start over, and she would forget he was ever good. "Will you make me forget?"  
"We will make you hate, pure hate, isn't that good enough?" The man smirked, and then Spike nodded. Willow looked at both of them through lowered lids. Her wrist flicked and the ship lurched.   
"Just thought I'd give it a boost. Much more of this crap and I swear I'll puke." She crossed her arms.   
"We'll be on Geonosis soon enough." Senator Dooku left the room, and moved to another. A hologram appeared.  
"Hello Senator. How are our potential apprentices?"  
"Fine Master. The hate from them radiates."  
"And you know, turning from the light side yourself." His master never failed to remind him that he was one of the Twenty who left the Jedi order. "But you know a choice will have to be made."  
"One master and one apprentice." Dooku answered. "And one assistant." He added softly.   
*************************************************************************************  
"Good you are. I knew that training had you, before you came."  
"Yep. It's my job." Buffy slipped the blindfold from her eyes and looked at the broken orbs on the ground that she had sliced with the light saber.   
"Ready quicker will you be. Good for the Light Side."  
"I don't know about Xander." Buffy and Yoda laughed as they watched Xander trip over his Jedi robes and swing his green light saber around. He stopped, upon hearing the comment and turned off the light saber.   
"They'll move you up to the kindergarten class in no time." Buffy couldn't resist adding.   
"Still much for you to learn about the ways of the force, young Padawan."  
"And also how to drive one of those phat flying cars." Buffy smiled, but then frowned. Yoda looked up at her.  
"I felt something. Willow, I think."  
"In tune with the force are you becoming." Yoda said with a sad smile.   
"I don't like this." Buffy said, exchanging glances with Xander.  
"Maybe I should teach them how to navigate a----" Obi Wan said, entering the room. He bowed to Yoda and then looked to Buffy.  
"I'd love a break." She attached the light saber to her belt and followed after Obi Wan. Xander made a move to join them, but Yoda jumped out, little a little green ball of lightning, and Xander was on the floor.   
"Work left for you to do."   
"I get it." Xander made a face and glared at the orb that bobbed around in the air. Obi Wan and Buffy made their way to the roof.  
"I have to tell you, I suck at driving."   
"I think it will be very different from driving those primitive things on earth."  
"Can you stop calling it primitive? That's really annoying."  
"Sorry. Force of habit."  
"That was a bad pun."  
"I'm not much of a fan of flying either. We'll take it easy. It's a lot different from the ship we took to get here."  
"Uh huh." Buffy said, dubiously. Obi Wan hopped into a speeder and motioned for Buffy to join him. She took his outstretched hand. "I can't say much for Slayer balance in space." She breathed a sigh of relief once she was sitting. "So where are the seatbelts?"  
"The what?" The car lurched forward and soon they were flying, weaving through thousands of little flying speeders. Buffy gripped her seat.  
It was strange. She thought of how sheltered the people were on earth. They didn't even know about vampires, let alone an Intergalactic Republic! Imagine what they would think. Imagine what Giles would say.   
"Hey, ya know. My friend Giles would make a kick ass Jedi. We should like invite him into space."  
"The Jedi are a very elite group."  
"So you're snobby?"  
"Well it's more that we try not to accept the impure of heart. If someone with the knowledge of the Force joined the dark side, it would be horrible." Obi Wan thought of Anakin, and wondered what his future held now. And then he thought of Senator Dooku. He could very well be one of the first who pulled a switchero.   
"Hey, I don't know if I'm pure of heart. I like loved a vampire who was kinda evil." Buffy said, biting her lip.   
"I don't think that's what I meant." Obi Wan said, with a twinkle in his eye. He tried to banish thoughts of this young woman, his new Padawan, from his mind, but her blond hair that twirled in the wind as they zipped along, was like a charm, it beckoned him towards her, into her mind. He blocked out her life force and turned his eyes to the traffic.   
"So you want me to find this kid, Anakin? While you like go fight in battles?"  
"Well it's more than that. Jedi are not supposed to love. Anakin has fallen in love, but he still holds the power of the force. We want to try and save him, before it's too late. "Right now, there are battles brewing all over the republic. The Separatists Droids, and our newly acquired Clones can not fight forever. Soon the Jedi will have to rejoin the battle, and we will have to stop the chaos."  
"Ok. Makes sense. But I have a question. If this Intergalactic Republic has grown to big, you said so yourself earlier, on the ship, then what's so bad about a couple people leaving it to start their own?"   
"Because. If they don't have to answer to anyone they could do whatever they wanted."  
"But aren't they doing that already?" Buffy rolled her eyes. She had never understood any of this political stuff. It was the same with the hierarchy of vampires.   
"I'm only a warrior. I suggest you ask Senator Amidala when you meet her."  
*************************************************************************************  
Geonosis didn't seem very different from earth as the ship arrived. Senator Dooku motioned for the two to follow him. Spike stayed put, crossing his arms.  
"Mate I'll fry." He said in disgust.  
"Nonsense. This planet is not lit by your solar systems moon. You'll be fine."  
"Poor Spikey. Little neutered vampire." Willow taunted, sauntering past him. He snarled, and forgetting the chip for a moment, lunged at her. "Uh uh uh." Willow held up her hand and Spike felt himself blasted across the ship. He hit a far wall with a thud. A head poked through the doorway. It was hidden by a large hood. The person inside laughed strangely.   
"Welcome." Willow peered at the man and then tossed out another ball of energy. The man held his hand up and absorbed it. "He was right. You still have much to learn." Intrigued by this powerful man, veiny Willow followed him, leaving the Senator to help Spike.   
Once inside the building Willow and Spike were seated at a table. The Senator and the Mysterious man stood before them. "Welcome to Geonosis, the head of the Independent party." Senator Dooku said. "Because you are new to our order, we are able to share with you the secrets of the Siths. This is Darth Sidious, also known as Chancellor Palpatine."  
"Didn't you say he lead the Republic mate?" Spike looked at them in confusion.  
"To effectively dispose of the Jedi that protect the republic it is necessary to destroy the republic from without, and within." Spike felt chills go up his spine. This was true evil genius, the likes of which he hadn't dealt with in a long time. It gave his demon side excessive thrills.   
"You will know him as one or the other, depending."  
"Depending on what?"  
"The Order of the Siths calls for one master and one apprentice."  
"And you have the pick. Ok. And the other?"  
"Will become a leader in the Separatists."  
"So where's my little bubble fill in sheet. I'll outdo him in everything." Willow glared at Spike and sniffed. "He's a pathetic waste of time."  
"He has more darkness in him than you ever will." The chilling voice of Sidious crept out from under the robes and Willow frowned. He knew. Shrugging it off Willow nodded towards the weapon at Senator Dooku's side.   
"What's that?"   
"I light saber. Anyone of the Sith or Jedi order carries them."  
"Willow loves toys." Willow tried pulling the weapon towards her but Senator Dooku held up his hand.   
"You forget yourself. I was once a Jedi. You can not bend the force around me."  
"So," Spike started, rapping on the table. "Bout this force, and my chip."  
"Yes. You will soon see." Dooku nodded.  
"The Force drives all life forms. It can be controlled, and manipulated for good or evil." Sidious pointed a pale finger at Willow. "She has begun to learn the greatness of the force."  
"Ok. So my chip?" Spike really didn't care about the mojo they yammered on about. He wanted something solid, that would yield immediate results.   
"Yes. Right." Senator Dooku pressed a button on the wall and a strange frog like creature entered. "Newt Gunray, take this vampire to the Lab. He has a microchip in his brain that needs to be extricated."  
"As you wish my lord." The shiny eyes of the creature fell on Spike. He squirmed in his seat. Would this finally be it? Would the chip be taken out for good? He followed Newt out of the room, and felt a darkness fall over him. And he knew he was experiencing 


	3. Part 3

Part Three  
  
"I'm doing it!" Buffy bellowed, driving the Speeder through the traffic, and up into the night sky.   
"You sure are, but be careful." Obi Wan said. It was now his turn to hold tight. "God, you are acting way to much like Anakin." He said to himself.  
"What?" Buffy turned.   
"Nothing."  
"So Jedi." Buffy started, as she slowed the Speeder down. "What do you guys do for fun?"  
"We don't really have time for much fun. I suppose we play cards, go to the Hologram theater." Obi Wan seemed surprised at her question. She guessed that Jedi really didn't have time for that kind of thing. But Anakin? "The life of a Jedi is not for everyone."   
"Long hours, bad pay, lonely times? You're singing the song of the Slayer." They looked at each other, and for a moment then connected. Then Obi Wan looked away and there was silence, save for his directions.  
"I hope Xander is having fun back on the ground, or should I say in a tower like a billion feet from the ground? I swear, I don't know how you guys get those buildings to stay up." Buffy said at last.   
"The gravity is different than the gravity on earth. And we have the technology."  
"Right. Primitive earth. I get it."   
"I didn't mean that you were primitive. Just your technology." Obi Wan said quickly, not wanting a riff to start between him and his new Padawan. Not now, not when the Republic needed them most. He felt bad, having swooped to earth to grab this girl, and then involve her in a war, but he knew deep down, the war would effect all life, not just the ones involved with the republic.  
"Can we go back now? I'm getting kind of hungry."  
"Sure. Do you think you can drive back?"  
"No problem. Just lead the way." They drove back to The Jedi Tower and parked the Speeder. Once inside they found Xander chowing down in a dining room of sorts, with other young Jedi in training.   
"You have to try this stuff Buffy. It doesn't look like much but it's so good." Xander held up his bowl of some sort of green goo.   
"I suppose I'll have too," Buffy conceded, sitting down and taking the bowl that was offered to her. "So how did your training go?"  
"Not bad. I was never very good with a sword."  
"He stinks." the kid next to Xander said. Xander turned red and Buffy laughed. It felt good to laugh, despite their predicament.   
"I think tomorrow, if you think you're ready I will send you to Naboo to talk with Anakin." Buffy looked up at Obi Wan.  
"This quickly? I'm ready already?"  
"That might not be the right word."  
"But you can't risk anyone else." Xander cut in. "You told us already."  
"I'm sending R4D4 along with you."  
"That robotic thing, right?" Xander raised his brow.  
"Yes. You should be safe enough."  
"I've never met a challenge I haven't beaten. Even death." Buffy said sadistically, with a sad note in her voice. Xander frowned. "Why don't you go play with your new friends Xander."   
"I'm not going to live this down am I?"  
"Nope. Wait till we get back to earth and Anya hears about this."  
"And Dawn." Buffy paled.  
"You think she'll be alright don't you? I thought it best to just leave her with Clem. I know that I've been protecting her like crazy, but this, this is so much bigger than us."  
"She's growing up Buffy."   
"I know. I guess I've refused to see it." Buffy knit her hands together. "I feel like this a dream. Don't you?"  
"Just a tad." They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Life was strange.   
"God, I'm tired."  
"I'll show you to your chambers." Obi Wan led them down the halls of the Jedi  
Academy to rooms that they could stay in. "I'll see you both in the morning." Buffy went to the window of her room, fascinated by the lights of the planet. It was like New York, only planet sized. Something whizzed by her window and she jumped. How had they never known this whole thing existed? Back on earth people wondered about life elsewhere, and here was more proof than they would know what to do with.   
Her sleep was plagued by dreams of home and Willow. Powerful Willow called out to her in her sleep, her fingers beckoning Buffy with sharp cracks of power. Buffy whimpered in her sleep as she ran from Willow, veins pulsing, black eyes glowing. "Willow what are you doing?"  
"Buffy?" the door slid open, and Xander walked in, dressed in the night robes of the Jedi.   
"Xander. I was having this horrible dream about Willow. I'm so worried. We have to save her. Screw this mission. I can't believe I let them talk me into this." Buffy struggled out from under the covers but Xander caught her.   
"You know they took Willow too. What are you going to do? Commandeer a spaceship back to earth? She won't be there. Our best chance of saving her is to help the Jedi save their republic." Buffy shook her head.  
"They were talking to you weren't they?"   
"I'm not weak minded." Xander crossed his arms.   
"Fine. We'll stay. We'll go on their little mission. But keep your eyes open Xander. I'm not sure about all of this."  
"Gotcha." Xander nodded and hugged his friend, before leaving.  
*************************************************************************************  
"This is Anakin Skywalker." Willow watched the hologram appear on the desk, a bored expression across her face. "Right now he is precariously balanced between the dark side and the light side. He is strong with the force, but hasty and emotional. Up until now he has been fighting for the Jedi. But he would be a powerful ally if our plan to take over the republic is going to work."  
"And?" Willow looked up at Dooku.   
"You will be the one to help him."  
"Seduce him to the dark side?" Willow licked her lips. "My kind of fun."  
*************************************************************************************  
"Tell me again who you are?" Spike slid onto the metal table as Newt Gunray walked around the room, waiting for the doctor.   
"I am the Viceroy of the Trade Federation. We are allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems."  
"The Dark Side?" The Viceroy loosened his collar.   
"Now now. We do not like to use such politically incorrect terms."  
"Whatever you say. Sounds good to me. Power is good." Spike smirked as he lay down on the table. He recalled his past glories, as a small creature scrambled into the room.  
"Good day." The viceroy ducked out and Spike sat up.  
"You're gonna operate on me? You're hardly more than a house pet." The little thing hopped up onto the table and shoved Spike down. He yelped in pain, and the world went white for a moment, but it was over as quick as it had begun. The little creature made some purring sounds and hopped down. Spike reached up and felt his head, gingerly. There was a small bump he could feel that made a square, he doubted it was noticeable because the creature hadn't even removed any hair.   
"I take it back. Good work mate." Spike pulled out a cigarette and laughed deeply. Maybe he would like this space gig after all. Little Miss Rosenberg would have to watch herself now.  
*************************************************************************************  
"Good morning." Buffy rubbed her eyes as she made her way down the hall to Xander. He was dressed in the robes of a Padawan learner. "Do you like it? They traded my clothes for these? I feel dignified."  
"I don't see it. How about me?" Buffy twirled. She was wearing a matching outfit.  
"It's not you."  
"No. Oh well." Buffy touched the rough, linen material and sighed.   
"Good morning, young Padawan learners."  
"I've had boyfriends older than some of the planets in the Republic." Buffy whispered to Xander, irritated at Obi Wan's superior manner. Xander snickered.   
"Are you ready?"  
"Sure." Buffy pulled at her robe to reveal her light saber.   
"Good. We'll eat and then I'll show you to the ship." 


	4. Part 4

Part Four  
Naboo was one of the prettiest places Buffy had ever seen. "Xander, look." Buffy pointed out the window. "It's like paradise."  
"And here I thought the galaxy was made up of planets exactly like New York city Jetson style. Nice to know it isn't." The ship docked and The R4 unit led them to into the heart of the main city of Naboo. The city had a very Mediterranean feel to it.   
"Welcome to Naboo. I understand you are coming to meet with my Senator and her husband?" Buffy gave the Queen a curtsey, not sure if she should say "Yes, your majesty."  
"They are in the summer country on honeymoon."  
"I think it's urgent." Buffy said tentatively. In truth she had no real idea what she was doing, only that she had to try and convince Anakin to return.   
"Yes, I know. The Republic is important to me, and Senator Amidala." The Queen nodded. "See that they are taken to the Summer Country." The droid, that had taken a liking to Xander beeped.   
"Right. Master Yoda, asked that you contact him." Xander said, with a snap of his fingers. Buffy looked at him, impressed.   
"Since when do you speak Droid?"  
"Since you went out on a little speeder ride and left me home alone." Xander stuck out his tongue. The Droid followed them as they were escorted to another little ship, this time it was a simple land speeder.   
"I'll drive." Buffy hopped in the driver's seat and they took off.  
"Do you even know where you're going?"  
"I think so." Buffy shrugged. "Relax. Look around us? What could be so bad here?"   
"Don't even say it Buffy." Xander shook his head.   
*************************************************************************************  
"Well, well, well. Willow Rosenberg."  
"Spike, did you want something?" Spike leaned against the doorway in the bedroom chamber.   
"I just wanted to tell you to watch your back. We're on different ground here. No chip, no magic tricks. Just the force, and it's fair game." Spike smirked and pulled out a cigarette.   
"I'll keep it in mind you slutty, little vampire."  
"Oh, it's name slinging time is it? Forgot you're still in grammar school love."   
"Keep talking Spike. I dare you."   
"Rather not waste the air, ya know because it's such an effort to breath." Spike grinned. "See you around, bitch." Spike sauntered out of the room. Willow turned to a table and pressed a button. She called up a hologram of Buffy and Xander. She glared at it, watching them speed across Naboo, the place she would be tomorrow.   
"Have fun now my friends. Believe you have control. I will never be your shadow again Buffy Summers. I promise you that."   
*************************************************************************************  
"This is it. I feel it." Buffy pulled the speeder to a standstill.   
"You sure."  
"Positive." Buffy got out of the speeder and crossed the bridge that led to a large house, that looked more like a palace. Xander and the Droid hurried to keep up. Buffy went to the large double doors and knocked loudly.  
"Yo! We're from the Jedi Council. We're here to speak to Anakin Skywalker!" Buffy waited and then the door creaked open. There was a rusty metal man standing there.  
"My name is C3PO. Human Cyborg relations. You wish to speak to Master Anakin?"  
"Uh, yeah?"   
"Very good. Come along." The man moved stiffly through the house, leading them to an open balcony. A man and a woman were sitting at a table, looking out over the water.   
"Welcome." The young man looked up. The first thing Buffy noticed was his golden hand, which she quickly looked away from.   
"Hi, I'm Buffy. This is Xander. We're from-"  
"The Jedi Council." Anakin finished. "I figured they would send someone. Didn't think it would be someone so young." Buffy frowned.   
"I've been around the block more times than you could imagine."  
"Don't, Buffy."  
"It wasn't very smart of you to go run off and get married…but you'll find I don't judge those types of things. I've done a lot of very dumb things in the name of love." Buffy plopped down in a seat, figuring they wouldn't bother offering. "The Queen is worried about you Senator. She hopes that you won't neglect your duty to the republic." Amidala turned away.  
"There's not much I can do now that war has broken out."  
"There's a great deal you can do. And what about you Anakin? You know that The Jedi need you."   
"We're going to lose anyhow. You know it. It doesn't matter."  
"Pessimistic much? Do you think I gave up when I faced a God because I thought I would lose? No. I tried anyhow. Granted I died, but I tried."  
"You died?" Anakin looked at her thoughtfully, blue eyes concentrated solely on her. Buffy squirmed under her intense gaze.   
"Yes."  
"Then it is you that is powerful in the force, not I."  
"Anakin, this isn't my place. I shouldn't even be here." Buffy explained, frustrated with the angsty teen. "I come from earth, a place so far away we have never even heard of the Republic, or any other planet. And I'm going to go back eventually, as soon as I save my friend who was taken to the dark side."   
"I'm sorry for your lose." Amidala said gently, helplessly. She looked to Anakin.   
"So you see, if I have to be involved then you do too. I'm sure you care Amidala, that if the wrong side wins nothing good can come of it?"   
Amidala looked at Anakin for a moment, then stood up. It was a pity that uniting would not stop the darkness from coming. The darkness existed in the places they trusted most.   
"I love you Padme Amidala. And if that means following you into this messed up War, then I'll do it." Buffy watched the two young lovers, feeling old, even though one was older than herself. It had been a long time since she had felt so in love.   
"You make the right choice." Buffy smiled. Obi Wan would be proud of her. At that moment the room shook.   
"What was that?" Amidala asked, her hand grabbing Anakin's.  
"I'm not sure." Buffy pulled back her robe and whipped out her light saber. "I bet you miss carrying one of these." Buffy joked, trying to lighten the mood. Suddenly one of the walls exploded. They all ducked under the table as debris fell.  
"Good afternoon everyone. Why Buffy, what a surprise. Would have thought you'd be halfway across the galaxy right now."  
"Willow, you don't want to do this."  
"Guess what. They gave me a toy too." Willow pulled out a light saber. "I'd rather use magic, but you'd be surprised that I'm not bad with these. Of course, you've always doubted me, because I've never been anything else but your sidekick." Willow looked at Anakin, and Buffy waited, not wanting her hurt her friend, in case there was some way to save her.   
"You felt it, didn't you Anakin. The Dark Side." Willow looked to Anakin, who was shielding Amidala. He licked his lips and furrowed his brow and struggled to shake his head.   
"Get out of here." Buffy whispered, turning on her light saber. It turned on with a pop and a blue glow began emanating from the metal stick. Xander and Willow did the same, one with a green stick and one with a red.   
"Will you be ok?" Anakin asked, clearly discomforted by the witch's presence.   
"Fine. Go. We'll be along." Buffy pushed Anakin towards the door, which was half covered in rubble.  
"The fun's just beginning, isn't it?" Willow charged at Buffy and for a few minutes there was chaos in the room, as the laser swords crashed into each other, and the walls.   
"Part of you has to still be in there Willow. Let go. Come home with me."  
"I have to confess, I was thinking about destroying the world, but helping to destroy a galaxy is far more fun." Xander stayed fray adjacent, looking very wary and frustrated, not sure whether to jump in or not.   
"Yeah? What will you do when it's gone? Willow please, come back to me." Buffy grunted, feeling the warmth of the blade swing by her head. Willow's eyes seemed to fade back to blue for a moment and Buffy thought she had gotten the advantage but Willow screamed wildly and the room shook again. She flipped out of the way as Buffy dove to save Xander. They went sliding across the floor, as what was left of the room caved in.  
When they had finally cleared the rubble Willow was nowhere in sight. They found their speeder. Xander leaned against it, panting. "Now what?" Buffy closed her eyes, trying to recall what Obi Wan had told her. She reached out with her mind to sense the young lovers.   
"They're on the way to the capital. Willow must have retreated." Before they could take off Xander's Droid tottered out of the building, so they loaded him in, then took off. 


	5. Part 5

Part Five  
(Note to the readers: I haven't decided the outcome of the story, but for now consider it A Buffy, Spike, Obi Wan love triangle.)  
Spike walked along the corridor of the building, with his new mentor, Darth Sidious. Since his chip had been taken out he had found that his love of Buffy was ebbing, replaced with the hate this man imbued in him. Hate for everything. And it felt wonderful, to know his place again.   
"I don't know if our choice was wise, with the witch. Her hate is not strong enough. It comes from a place of fear, and revenge. She needs more fuel. More hate, more suffering."   
"No one has suffered as much as I have. No one hates like I do." Spike punched a wall as they walked past it. His mentor smiled happily.   
"Excellent. Concentrate your hate in the right places and nothing will stop you." Dooku popped up then, from another room.  
"A battle has started master."  
"Where?"  
"Corusant. I think you need to speak to The Viceroy. They've taken some of the battle druids and are attempting a blockade and invasion."  
"I see. Maybe I should send my new young apprentice." Spike's eyes opened wide at the opportunity. Darth Sidious remained perfectly still, his lips pursed, until they broke out into a satanic smile. "You will go to Corusant, and see what has happened. If the Viceroy has indeed started his own rebellion, kill him."  
"Do you think we should go that far? We could handle it more quietly. Can we risk loosing the support of The Trade Federation?" Dooku asked, dubiously.  
"We are sending a message, in the name of The Independent Systems. If they join us, they should be prepared to be with us until the end." Darth Sidious said with a grin. "I should think the Senate will wonder where their Chancellor, with all the power has gone, now that they need to make an even more dire decision."  
"Yes Lord Sidious." Dooku disappeared again, and they continued down the hall.  
"Since I will be in need of you more quickly than I hoped, it is now time for you to be trained in the ways of the force and the Light Saber. You will learnt he ways of the Sith."  
"Yes my lord." Spike felt a whole new world opening up with the mention of that name.   
*************************************************************************************  
"So that's your friend?" After the battle with Willow Buffy and Xander had found Anakin and Amidala, on their way back to the capital.   
"That was my friend." Buffy frowned. "Scary isn't she?"  
"You know we can't go back to Corusant with you."  
"Why not?" Buffy snapped.   
"We took a chance and defied the laws." Amidala said, stepping in. "We'll help, but our destiny doesn't go there anymore." Buffy saw at last, the wisdom in this young woman's eyes, and knew she was one of Buffy's few matches. Buffy nodded slowly. Suddenly a Droid beeped. Buffy turned to scold R4D4 and saw R2D2 instead.   
"They sure know how to interrupt." Buffy muttered.   
"I'm not part of The Jedi Council anymore, but I still have the Force. I'll see what I can do." Anakin offered.   
"And I'll do my part as Senator, as long as there is a Republic." Amidala said, grimly. Buffy knew that she would have to report back to Corusant with the bad news.   
"Keep in contact then." Buffy said. And with that they all departed.  
"Will you teach me how to fly that?" Xander asked, as Buffy drove the Speeder back to the Port.   
"I can't. Ask Obi Wan to teach you when we get back."  
"You are loving lording this over me aren't you?"  
"Hey, you always teased me when I didn't know how to drive."  
"Do you think there's a way we could contact earth? Talk to Anya?"   
"I don't think so." Buffy lifted a hand from the wheel to play with the slim braid that now hung by her ear. "They don't have the technology. " She thought of Dawn. She really missed her little sister. Deep down she had wondered if she would, if they were ever parted, because they weren't real sisters. And now she found out, she did miss Dawn.  
They got a surprise on the way back to Corusant. "Mistress Buffy, there seems to be a blockade around the planet."  
"What?" Buffy got up from her seat and headed to the captain's area. She looked out the glass windshield and saw larger ships hovering in a large circle. "What kind of ships are they?"  
"They look like ships from The Trade Federation, but they haven't had a blockade since they attempt on Naboo ten years ago. It's sheer idiocy to try and blockade Corusant."  
"Can't you get past the blockade?" Buffy asked, feeling her muscles tense. Her newly attuned sense of the Force tingled. She felt a strange presence. She touched the light saber at her side for comfort.   
"Might I suggest sending a message to The Council?"  
"Right." Buffy snapped her fingers. "How?"  
"Press this button." The captain pointed to a button, not daring to remove his eyes from the scene before him. Buffy pressed the button.   
"Hey, this is um Buffy, the apprentice to Obi Wan. We tried getting Anakin and Amidala here but they wouldn't come. What's with this blockade?" Buffy waited, letting go of the button. A hologram popped up.   
"Buffy. Glad to see you're alive." The wary expression of Obi Wan worried Buffy. "While you were gone The Trade Federation arrived, apparently they are betraying The Independent Systems, which could work to our advantage. But right now it's not good. They are attempting an invasion. The Jedi are doing all they can with the battle Droids that the Federation brought, but without an emergency meeting of the Senate, that's all we can do, is defend ourselves." Obi Wan's voice lowered, and Buffy had to lean into the hologram. It was as if Obi Wan didn't want anyone to hear what he had to say. "The Chancellor is missing, and as of the last meeting of the Senate he has Supreme Power. And he has to verbally relinquish it."  
"That's stupid. Just take over the Senate yourself." Buffy was surprised to see she could talk to him without having to press the button.  
"Jedi are warriors, not politicians. That's not how the Senate works."   
"What do you want me to do?"  
"I'm sending a ship to escort yours. Wait, but be careful."  
"I'm sorry I couldn't get Anakin for you, master." Obi Wan paused, sadly.  
"Thank you. But I guess being a Jedi was never his destiny." The hologram disappeared. The captain looked at Buffy.   
"We wait." She said. They did wait for a few minutes, until lasers began flying through the night sky. The ship groaned. "I guess waiting is not our destiny. we're going to have to try and get through."  
"If you say so miss." The captain held up his hands in defeat. "Make sure the Droids are ready, should we be hit." The ship started and Buffy waited, willing the Force to get them through safely.   
*************************************************************************************  
"Hey, little miss, you don't know when your sister will be back do you? I promised my buddy I would go play cards with him tonight. Not that hanging out with you isn't a blast." After two days, and no word Clem was getting worried. But they hadn't heard about the death of the Slayer, so it was just an interesting mystery.   
"Maybe we should go look for someone?"  
"I don't know. I'm supposed to protect you."  
"Then protect me while I'm out taking a walk. Come on melty man. I can't stay cooped up in a tomb the rest of my life." Dawn and Clem looked at each other. "Forget that last part." She shivered. They left Spike's tomb and walked downtown. Everything seemed pretty peaceful. When they walked past the Magic Box Dawn noticed Anya. She banged on the door and Anya came rushing over.  
"You haven't seen him have you? When I found what remained of Warren they weren't there." Anya asked worriedly.  
"I came to ask the same question. Buffy just dumped me with Clem and took off. I haven't heard anything."  
"This is so unlike Xander."  
"Yeah. Buffy usually keeps tabs on me 24/7."  
"Something must have happened." Anya bit her lip. "I wonder if I should teleport to them. But I can't sense them."  
"What about a spell?"   
"Willow sucked all my books dry."  
"There must be a few."  
"Wait! I think there's a few down the basement." Anya grabbed Dawn and they found their way down to the dusty, dim basement. She grabbed a box against a far wall and opened it. A cloud of dust poofed up into their faces.  
"Transportation spells. Bingo." They lugged the book upstairs.  
"So where do we think they are?"  
"I don't know about this." Clem spoke up. "You're sister would kill me if you messed up, and transported half of yourself to another dimension or something."  
We don't have time for this Clem." Anya said decisively. "Go away if you aren't going to help. I'll watch her."  
"I don't need to be watched."  
"Whatever. Help me."  
"What if Clem is right? What if we transport half ourselves or whatever."  
"Are you a magic wimp? Xander and Buffy are gone. And we've got to go after them. This is the only way we know how."  
"Ok."  
"Here. Read off the ingredients and I'll find them." They spent the next hour gathering ingredients, until they figured they could perform the spell.   
"Now this will send us to wherever Buffy is?"  
"Buffy? Right. You just have to make sure and concentrate on her picture in your mind, or you'll lose contact and you'll be flung out into the universe." Dawn squeaked at the thought.   
"Ok. I can do this." They held hands, putting various things in a cauldron until Anya was satisfied.   
"Between darkness and light, morning and night, from this point, to infinity, the one we search for, hear our plea, fast as lightning, bring us to thee." The world around them spun, and they felt themselves hurtling, at a rather frightening speed, through the very fabric of time and space. 


	6. Part 6

Part Six  
Willow seethed with rage that Buffy and the little pair had gotten away. Her only comfort was her rapid acquirement of knowledge of the force, seeing that her normal powers didn't work away from earth. Darth Sidious had been sharing with her, all the things she could accomplish, as long as she kept herself attuned with the dark side. But it was hard.   
Knowing that the young male was still on Naboo she thought about kidnapping him, a plan that would have dire consequences. But she wondered what Darth Sidious would say to that. Would he agree or would he be angry? He always planned things precisely. He calculated everything out to it's minutest detail. Willow hopped on her Swoop Bike and decided to see if she could find a bar or something to entertain her for awhile.   
*************************************************************************************  
Spike felt his face again, and looked at his hands. They still smarted from the ink, but they were healing surprisingly fast. He wished he could look into the mirror and see how intimidating he was. But he knew just the same. Darth Sidious grinned happily from his seat.   
"Are you ready to go?"  
"Ready, master." Wait until Buffy or Willow caught sight of him now.  
"Destroy my young apprentice. Hate." Spike nodded. His dark robes waved around his ankles as he left the room, to make his way to the ship that would lead him to the fray on Corusant.   
On the ship he started to feel queasy, like something wasn't right with The Force. "Lord Sidious told me about this." Spike tried to recall. "Buffy?" The name hit him like A Bantha falling on top of him.   
"No." Spike felt his hate surge up into his throat and he growled, low and long.   
*************************************************************************************  
The ship make it through the blockade, but they weren't prepared for what was happening on Corusant. The ship had to dock on the nearest building, to escape the renegade lasers.   
"Get your light saber ready." Buffy yelled to Xander. He looked at her, his face growing red. "Ew Xander!"  
"Sorry! I haven't had any for awhile, alright?" They battled their way across the roof, until they were able to dive inside.  
"What is this place?" Buffy gasped, dropping to her knees.   
"I'm not sure. Corusant is inhabited by 10 billion beings." The captain said. "We aren't very close To the Council's buildings, or The Senate's buildings."  
"We'll just have to make the best of it." Buffy grit her teeth together and held her light saber even higher. The air in front of them stilled suddenly, and then exploded.   
"Hi Buffy."  
"Dawn?"  
*************************************************************************************  
"You're kinda cute. What's your name?" Willow wasn't sure if she was seeing double of the creature before her, or if it really had two heads. It wasn't the most happening of places, but it was something. The creature made a rude noise and her and disappeared into the crowd. Willow shrugged and downed another neon drink.  
"So Willow, what's the plan now?" Willow asked herself. A voice echoed in her head.   
"The boy. The boy is the key. He is the Chosen One. We can not lose him."  
"So I'll kidnap him. Fine. Just wanted to make sure." Willow glanced at a mirror behind the bar and grimaced. Her hard black appearance stared back at her. She lifted her hand and shattered the mirror with the Force before exiting the bar.   
As she made her way through The Naboo night, Willow thought to herself. She knew that Spike would never be as adept with the force, but he was more evil than her. She knew than even when she had arrived, Spike was favored by the Dark Lord. But if she did things right, maybe he would favor her too. There was nothing she could not do with the power he promised.   
*************************************************************************************  
"Where's the Viceroy?" Spike snarled. The ship had landed on the building that Lord Sidious guessed would be the first place The Trade Federation would attack. He had watched, as they manipulated their way through the blockade, the arrival of battle druids, which were reminiscent of Geonosians.   
It was just his luck this place belonged to Jedi. His feelings of Buffy, rather than growing, had ebbed, so he guessed he had moved away, which made it easier to concentrate on the mission at hand.  
"I'm not sure My lord." The pesky little minion answered, gripping his blaster gun close to his body.   
"Fine." Spike used to the Force to toss the man against a wall, and continued down the hall.   
"A Sith!" Spike had turned a corner and to his chagrin there stood a few Jedi ready to fight. Well then he would test his newly acquired fighting skills. He pulled out his light saber, and it hummed the dead song, as he prepared for the bearded man to come at him.   
"I didn't know a new Sith was being trained." The first Jedi said to the other, who was a tall black man.   
"I think he's that dark power Master Yoda was feeling." The Jedi's light sabers clicked on, and Spike felt a rush of delicious energy ripple through him as his muscles tensed, muscles he hadn't used in years. The Jedi rushed forward and Spike defended their blows. The light sabers crashed together in a strange display, like to many fire works going off at one time.   
The fight could have continued for hours, if the Viceroy of the Trade Federation hadn't chosen that moment to show up. Opponents turned towards him, and seemlessly pounced, as if they hadn't been sparring the moments before. The Viceroy screamed as he went down, under the blade of the Sith.  
*************************************************************************************  
Buffy was more than angry, Dawn could tell, but she was holding it in. It had something to do with the peculiar weapon Buffy was using, and the strange clothing that adorned her. As they made their way through the building Dawn kept trying to talk to Buffy, but Buffy refused to listen. As with Anya.  
"It's all my fault!" Anya kept insisting, for once taking the blame.   
"I don't want to hear it. We have to get you to safety."  
"Buffy, what's going on? Where are we?"  
"You're on Corusant Miss. The center of the Republic." The captain said as he led them downstairs. It was a race against the battle Droids that had been dropped, when their ship was spotted, landing.   
"What?"  
"Ok, Aliens? Yeah, they exist. Billions of them." Xander snapped, waving his light saber around.   
"When it's safe I'm having the Council bring you back to earth." Buffy said angrily. She had forgotten what she had assured herself of, a day previous, that Dawn was a big girl now.  
"Maybe I can help fight."   
"No." Buffy sliced the first Droid that found them, and shoved her friends forward. They weren't going to make it to the other hangar in time. They had to get back to the central Academy to regroup and get instructions.   
"Shouldn't we find my R4 Droid? It did help us last time, landing." Xander asked, once they had successfully found the other hangar.   
"We don't have time." Buffy insisted, seeing the Droids wrestling the hangar door open. She pushed Dawn into a Speeder and The Captain led Xander and Anya into another one. "I'll see you at The Jedi Building, with any luck!"  
*************************************************************************************  
In the confusion over the Viceroy Spike slipped away to inform his master of what had happened. "Excellent my apprentice. I think now that it would be wise to destroy whatever Droids you see."  
"But aren't we doing the opposite?"  
"These Droids are working for the Trade Federation. Once they have cleared, an Emergency meeting of The Senate will be called. The Senate will look to me for advice. I will advise a counter attack on the Trade Federation, and maybe one on The Independent Party." Spike moved to talk and the man silenced him. "This does not concern you. Only your orders concern you. The Jedi are getting confused. This is good. They have no clue that we control all the pieces on the game board, not just out own side. Be mindful, and watchful. Stay clear of the Jedi until I am on Corusant."  
"Yes master." Spike sighed. He was more confused than ever. Shaking his head and lifting his hood back on he made his way towards a hangar.   
*************************************************************************************  
"I feel something." Buffy said as she maneuvered the ship through the laser beams, and into the hangar at the Jedi Academy, where she had first been taken. She got out of the speeder. Across the hangar she nodded someone. And he seemed so familiar, despite the red and black mask like thing on his face. "It's Spike."  
At the same moment the head bobbed up. Spike came running and Buffy could see his face was tattooed, along with the rest of his body. She felt like retching, or fainting.  
"Jedi."  
"Sith."  
"Get out of the way Dawn." Buffy pointed to the other speeder as it pulled up. "On vacation with Willow are you? Glad you could stop by."  
"Me too. Wouldn't be hell without you in it, would it?" Spike turned on his light saber, and Buffy turned hers on. They attacked each other, not just with swords they. They made it more personal, like the old days, with kicks and punches, the deadly dance of good and evil. Buffy could feel the hate radiating off Spike and knew that he had lost all his love of her. It hurt, which surprised her, and at the same time didn't. But she had played this game before.   
Then a nasty kick sent her light saber flying. Buffy panicked, until Xander tossed her his.   
"Buffy! Is that you?" Buffy dared a glance. Obi Wan was running towards them. Spike hissed and then flipped away. Buffy stood, panting, not really upset to call the fight a draw. Up until then she had always been evenly matched, or better than Spike. But no more.   
"Obi Wan!" She hugged her mentor with relief, despite the fact that they didn't know each other very well.  
"Who are all these people?"  
"Meet my sister and Xander's ex."   
"I'm reformed. I can take Jedi vows. No more love for me." Xander said quickly. "I've had enough of women for one lifetime." He added bitterly.  
"He left me at the alter." Anya explained, walking past Obi Wan. He looked stunned for a moment.   
"What's going on here? Can we help?"  
"We've just flushed the building of Droids. I think The Trade Federation is withdrawing. The Chancellor contacted The Senate. He had escaped for safety. He will be back tomorrow for an emergency meeting, to decide what to do. I don't like this at all." Buffy noticed then that he had a long cut on his arm.   
"Why don't we go inside. You're hurt." she touched his arm gently and Obi Wan looked at her in alarm. She drew her arm back, afraid she had done something forbidden. But he just nodded. 


	7. Part 7

Part Seven  
Tracking down the little bugger was harder than she had imagined. Before she had just followed Buffy's trail, but now she had to find him herself. As the day pressed on Willow was starting to forget why she was so angry, letting the void the rage made be filled with grief. But grief was just another path to the dark side, one the boy understood.  
Night came to Naboo, and Anakin and Amidala were hiding in a small house near the palace, guarded by the queen's most trusted guards. Amidala was afraid though, that Anakin would have the nightmares again.   
Before his mother's death he had had nightmares, and now that she was dead he still had them. Atrocious things, where he screamed about slaughtering the Sand People. It broke Amidala's heart, that after a beautiful evening it would be ruined when he woke up sweating and crying in the middle of the night.   
When she held him though, it brought her back ten years, to that little boy on Tattoine, who was raw to the world, but still so innocent. He had lost so much of that, and she had been to deeply in love to let that stop her from marrying him.   
As it had been for the past few days Anakin woke up screaming. Amidala had been waiting, awake, for this. She rocked him, and kissed his forehead.  
"I did something dark. Evil. Wrong. You heard what that, that thing said to me. She knows I felt it."  
"You're good Anakin. I know it. That's why I married you." She held Anakin's hands in her own, the cold metal warming in her palm. It had taken a little while to adjust to it, but it was only a surface flaw.   
"Then why am I being punished?" His eyes flashed in the darkness, wet with tears.  
"I don't know." Anakin sat up. "I need some fresh air. Alone. I won't go far." He left the marital bed and made his way to the door of their small house, barely more than a hut. The guard looked at him and Anakin used The Force to send him away so he could have peace. He admitted to himself that using the Force was work now that love was in the way, and he understood why Jedi didn't love. It distracted, made things dangerous for all parties. Made you careless.   
"Naughty things get punished. You're naughty, Anakin." Anakin turned to face Willow, but she grabbed his arms tightly and covered his mouth so he couldn't scream. She clamped chains onto his wrists. "Don't worry. I won't harm your little girlfriend. It's you I want." Anakin swallowed.   
"Then take me."  
*************************************************************************************  
"You seemed to know that Sith, or was I mistaken?" their eyes met, as Buffy wrapped bandages around Obi Wan's arm.   
"I did know him. And I thought I once lo- I once mistook him for someone with a heart. He comes from earth too."  
"I figured as much." Buffy kneeled down on the floor, tiredly.   
"So tell me, did you ever love someone? Even just a little?"  
"No." Obi Wan looked away. "I was taken away for training when I was too young, and I've never met anyone. And it would be wrong." He added the last sentence as if it was an afterthought, to remind himself. "Love distracts."  
"It forces you to make the greatest sacrifice. I was once told, death was my gift. I never understood what it meant until I gave my life to save the ones I loved."  
"For someone who was not trained in the Force, you seem as wise as Master Yoda." Obi Wan's hand reached forward of its own free will and brushed Buffy's face. "Padawan, Buffy. Summers." He whispered, to make a gap between them, that only seconds before didn't exist.   
"We should sleep. I'm sorry I could not convince Anakin of our necessity for him on Corusant."  
"There will be other chances."   
"Let us hope." Buffy stood up. "Goodnight."  
"Goodnight." Obi Wan sat in the darkness for awhile, his mind hovering between the pain in his arm and the last look on Buffy's face. It was as if she pitied him. Maybe he had never felt the need to love because he had never met someone like Buffy. Was this what Anakin felt for Padme Amidala?  
His sleep was plagued by dreams, but when he awoke he could not remember what had happened in them, only that he was worried about Anakin. Buffy was waiting for him the next morning.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Fine."  
"Master Yoda has requested that we accompany him to greet the Chancellor."  
"Sure."  
*************************************************************************************  
"Feel it. Let it flow through you." Willow sat, cross-legged, in front of the chained Anakin. She had flown him back to Geonosis, but upon her arrival there was chaos, so she had decided to play with the young man until further instruction. Anakin snarled and yanked on his cords. Willow reached out with the Force and slapped him.  
"You're not feeling it," she said with a pout. "Let's try this again."  
"Do what you want. I will never turn to the dark side." A crude smile spread across her lips.   
"Out of the mouths of babes. I can feel it growing inside of you Anakin. Didn't they ever tell you? They never knew what your future would hold, whether you would be good or evil. They only knew you would play a great part in the battles to come." Her own speech reminded her of ones that Giles had given the Scooby Gang. It seemed so long ago. She could hardly remember those times.   
"Then I have a choice."  
"Let me guess. Your love will save you. Love doesn't conquer all. I've seen it. Wake up to the real world." Willow growled. She leaned closer, so her black eyes could stare into Anakin's. It was as if they were vacuum's, sucking away his humanity. "Did you know, I watched my lover destroyed right in front of my eyes, and I couldn't do a thing to stop it. I couldn't save her. We have something in common Anakin. People were taken away from us that shouldn't have been. It wasn't fair." She knew she was shaking him to his core, and as she thrashed through his emotions she was tearing herself up inside, opening doors she had shut when Tara had been shot, and maybe before then.   
*************************************************************************************  
Spike's face was shadowed by his large hood, as he followed the group into The Senate Meeting. He had successfully blocked their knowledge of him, save for his master, who had nodded to him. He could tell his master was pleased with his work.   
"It is a sad day that I come to you. I had hoped that things would quiet down after that horrible atrocity on Geonosis, and then the attack on our very own planet so very recently. I come to you now, not at Supreme Chancellor, but as one being in this galaxy appealing to the others. If we are forced to go to war, I think we should go as strong as we can. We can call up more clones. We should do what we have to do to protect the republic." He paused as one of the representatives spoke up.  
"How do we know the republic will survive? Factions are breaking off all the time. Is it wise?"  
"Do you suggest each planet for themselves then? Or would you rather join The Independent Party, who has already been betrayed by The Trade Federation and fight against us?"  
"Who will lead the armies this time? We need to be more organized." Someone else called out. The Chancellor smiled.   
"I think my dear friend Master Yoda is better qualified in this area, as he is the head of the Jedi Council."  
"Thank you Chancellor." Yoda climbed onto the platform. "Jedi there are not enough of, to protect the whole galaxy. Lead armies, capable are they, to protect the republic and guard against the dark side we will."  
"I don't like this." Obi Wan whispered to Buffy. "If we separate, we could be fighting battles all over the Known Galaxies. It would be the kind of thing the Dark Side thrives on."  
"I dunno." Buffy furrowed her brow. "There's something I know."  
"What is it?"  
"It's this. Are we saying The Independent party is dark?"  
"Not exactly. But members of it are."  
"Aren't they trying to do the same things we are? Organize the universe? It seemed to me that things were okay, even if they were factioning, until the big battle, or whatever." Obi Wan looked surprised by her insight, and then thoughtful as he absorbed the information. He didn't seem to know quite what to say.  
"It's very confusing." He said simply.   
"I guess you Jedi aren't much for independent thinking." Buffy muttered under her breath.  
"What?"  
"Nothing."  
"As Master Yoda has put so eloquently, the best idea that we have come up with is to have the Jedi lead clone armies against the Droid armies of Ex Senator Dooku, and the Independent Party. I hope that you will vote your trust in me to draw up battle plans. This is war people, and it is your choice." Everyone cheered and Buffy felt something cold in the pit of her soul. She touched Obi Wan's hand. He nodded.  
"I felt it too. I just don't know why they don't." Spike watched the group parade out again, Buffy and Obi Wan drawing up in the rear. He wanted to run up to her then, and cut her head off with his light saber, but he refrained. There would be time for that later.   
The Chancellor excused himself from his party, saying he needed to rest and think. Spike followed him to a less populated floor, then into his room. He took off his hood, and shook his head, liking the feeling of air rushing over his newly acquired horns. "Things are going extremely well my new apprentice." The Chancellor smiled at him. "the Jedi will be scattered all over the Galaxy, and my private army will take over Corusant, and then the Republic, and they won't ever know how it happened." The Chancellor paused.   
"Of course, having young Anakin on our side will assure our win." Spike waited patiently for what came next. "The girl has him, but I don't know if she is strong enough in The Force to control him. Find her, and help her."  
"Help her?"  
"You don't have to like it. Just do it."  
"Yes Master." Spike lifted his hood back on and slunk back out. 


	8. Part 8

Part Eight  
"Anya, can't you see I'm busy?" Xander's tongue was stuck between his lips, as he concentrated on his training orb. The little orb zapped him before he swung his light saber around.   
"You were never very good at that kind of stuff on earth, so why do you think you'll be good at it here? I bet Dawn is better at it than you. I bet they'll even say she's made of the Force." Xander turned to Anya.   
"You might be on to something. I remember Obi Wan saying something to Buffy about Anakin being made of the Force."  
"Oh no. don't involve me in more of this 'Dawn is Special' Crap. I'm not the key anymore guys." Dawn complained, from a spot on a couch, where she was lazily watching Xander before Anya interrupted.   
"But if we don't have Anakin anymore she's probably made of those mini chlorine chips."  
"What?" Anya and Dawn both looked at him in confusion.   
"Help me out here puppet man." Another Padawan looked to Xander. He looked like a mini Yoda.   
"I'm sure you could get tested. Just ask one of The Master Jedi. That's how they choose beings to train for the Academy."  
"I kind of expect him to talk backward too. I guess it's an acquired trait." Xander said softly, with a snicker. "Thanks Buddy." He tucked his new light saber back in his belt. "What do you say Dawny? Could be fun?"  
"If you promise not to call my Dawny anymore. I'm not a little kid anymore Xander."   
"This is why I'm taking Jedi vows. Women drive me crazy." Xander threw up his arms in frustration.  
"Chill Xander. If it means that much to you call me Dawny. I don't care."   
"Do you think I could use the Force? Could I have chips in me too?" Anya spoke up.   
"You wish." Xander said. Anya smacked him off the side of the head.   
"That was rude Xander Harris. I could too!"  
"What seems to be the trouble in here?"  
"Hey, it's that Jedi with the melty head. What's his name again? Master Ki-Adi-Mundi."  
"Yes, Padawan Xander of Yoda's Bear Clan." Xander blushed as the girls giggled.   
"Can we test her for Chorine Chips? She's made of them I think."  
"Intriguing. Come along then." The man led Dawn down the hall.   
"Excuse me, but I have to get back to my training." Xander said to Anya.  
"That braid is dorky o Xander of the Bear Clan." She commented sourly, bouncing away. Xander touched his mini Jedi braid and growled.   
"Women suck." He told the training orb.  
*************************************************************************************  
"So this is the little guy, full of the Force?"  
"I remember you. You're a Sith." Anakin spat in Spike's direction.   
"Sith Spike. What a surprise. What are you doing here?" Willow turned to Spike.   
"The master doesn't think you're doing a very good job, witch."  
"I disagree." Willow turned back to Anakin. "Can't you feel his hate?" Anakin shivered at her touch.  
"I. Love. Padme. Amidala."   
"But you hate those things that killed your mother. You hate what made Obi Wan Kenobi the way he was. He wasn't that way when you met him. He was warmer, kinder."   
"Forget all of that bloody crap. You have no clue what miracle the dark side is. The power. The pleasure. I thought love was the way to go. Never again."   
"Never. I will never join you." Anakin rattled the chains that held him.   
"Your love won't be safe for long. You could protect her if you joined us." Willow said tentatively. Anakin's blue eyes opened wide.   
"What are you going to do to her?"   
"What would you like?" Willow pressed her fingers to Anakin's head and he slumped to the ground.  
*************************************************************************************  
"Thank you for joining us."  
"Of course Master Yoda." Obi Wan gestured for Buffy to sit down. He waited a beat and then sat down in the circle. Buffy took note that it was like a round table, except the table was missing. She looked around at the different people and creatures that were from so many different places. "I think my Padawan would like to address the council."  
"What?"  
"What you said earlier. I think they should know." Before Buffy could talk they were interrupted.  
"Sorry to disturb you. I know I should have been here already, but I think this would intrigue you." Master Ki-Adi-Mundi said, entering the room. Dawn was behind him.   
"The sibling of Obi Wan's new Padawan. She is very strong with the Force, like our lost one."   
"Hi Buffy." Dawn waved nervously. Buffy's eyes flashed with exasperation.   
"What have you got yourself into now Dawn?"  
"It was Xander's fault. Blame him. He guessed that I would have lots of Midi Chorians cos I'm made of energy or whatever." The Jedi looked to Buffy for more of an explanation.   
"On earth, a powerful group fashioned Dawn from some energy so I could protect her from a God."  
"I wonder if they knew that the energy was Midi Chorians." Obi Wan asked Buffy.  
"Somehow I doubt it."  
"Excellent, this could be." Yoda said. "Lost one Padawan we have. Gained a new ally we might."  
"We can't give up on Anakin, even if she is powerful in the Force Master Yoda." Obi Wan said.  
"We know. He'd be very dangerous if the Dark side laid hands on him, but it's good to know we have her now."  
"You don't own her." Buffy said, getting up, and eyeing master Windu. "If we can help we'll be glad too, but don't for one minute consider us your tools. We've been pawns long enough for this universe." Buffy stormed out of the room. Obi Wan looked around.   
"Follow her you shall." Yoda said, rubbing his temples.   
"Yes, master."   
"What about me?" Dawn spoke up, biting her lip.  
"Don't be nervous. We won't harm you." Master Luminara said, with one of the most genuine smiles Dawn had seen since her arrival. She decided she liked the woman, even though she was an alien. "But would you mind if we did some tests. Just mental ones. Nothing to do with a doctor."  
"I guess that would be ok." Yoda held up his hand.  
"Too old she might be. Careful to proceed."  
"We don't have time for careful Master Yoda. The Republic is falling apart around us. This meeting has to be devoted to assigning Jedi to protect the Republic, like the Chancellor suggested."  
"Right you are Master Windu."   
*************************************************************************************  
"Anger is not the way of the Jedi Buffy." Obi Wan called, as she chased his Padawan down the hall. He had known she was not normal, but he was convinced as he sprinted hard to keep up with her effortless run.   
"Who said I was angry? I'm just annoyed. You guys are lucky we came along to help in your stupid war. Because I doubt it would actually affect us if you lost. We never heard of you before, and I don't think we will. I want to go back to earth."  
"We are lucky you came. Very lucky. But you're involved now. I hate to tell you that we've drawn earth into this mess, but we have. Earth will never be ignorant again."  
"It's just like a bunch of men to ruin everything."   
"Would you hold on a minute?" Obi Wan grabbed her arm and spun her close to him. As an automatic response she punched him. He fell to the floor with a surprised cry.   
  
"I'm sorry!" Buffy plopped down and tried to lift his head. "I should have told you never to grab me. I'm a Slayer. I automatically punch things. It's my nature."   
"You've got a nasty right hook there." Obi Wan wiped his nose, which was trickling blood. "But I don't think it's broken."  
"Good. I don't think they'd like it if I gave my Jedi Master a broken nose." Their eyes met.   
"I don't think they'd notice with all that's going on."  
"No. they probably wouldn't." Buffy broke her gaze. "I guess it's just my destiny to save the world, and I guess, the universe." She smiled sadly. "When I died, the time before last, I was actually buried. My tombstone said 'She saved the world, a lot'. Can you believe it?"   
"Jedi are burned on funeral pyres, so I guess it's good you died on earth, or else you would be pretty gross now." Obi Wan turned red, realizing how morbid what he just said was. Buffy looked at him in shock, and then laughed.   
"I've never had anyone say anything but I'm sorry. It's a refreshing change."   
"Well, you're not dealing with someone from earth now, are you?"  
"Nope." Buffy pursed her lips. "This is a very different territory for me."  
"Me too." With that Obi Wan leaned over and kissed Buffy, somehow knowing she wouldn't mind that his face was smeared with blood.   
Buffy felt the rightness in the kiss. It was comparable to Angel's, someone who always knew what she was going through. Riley's and then Spike's kisses never held that in them. Obi Wan pulled away.   
"I'm sorry." He said, wiping his mouth. "I can't. We can't."  
"I know." Buffy stood up, and held out her hand for her Master. "We should go back."  
"You have a little blood." Obi Wan pointed to her cheek. "Let me." He reached his hand out and she batted it away.  
"Better not." She licked her finger and wiped her face, then shrugged. "Oh well. Let's go." 


	9. Part 9

Part Nine  
Padme Amidala woke up alone. She hadn't meant to fall asleep while she waited for Anakin, but she had. And now she was afraid. She called to the guards and they confessed to having left at Anakin's bidding. They hadn't seen him since. Fearing the worst Amidala found R2D2 and told him they were going to find Anakin.   
"R2, I know something's happened to him. And I'm not about to let my new husband die, or worse." So together they commandeered a ship and headed to Geonosis.  
*************************************************************************************  
"She's doing the work for us."   
"What do you mean?" Willow smiled.   
"She's on her way here."  
"Well well. Two for the price of one." Spike looked at Anakin who was slumped on the floor in the dark cave. He growled low, in the back of his throat and grabbed the boy by his hair. Anakin's eyes rolled in his head. "What did you do to him by the way."  
"A little trick I learned." Willow tossed her hair. "You want me don't you?"  
"I want to bash your head in." Spike snapped flicking his tattooed hand in her direction. "But nothing more."  
"Where am I?" Anakin murmured. Spike looked down at him. "It's you." Anakin shook his head slowly.  
"Your lover is on the way to save you. Isn't that sweet?"  
"Don't you lay a hand on her!" Even in his deadened state, Anakin strained against the chains to grab willow, but he found it to hard, and flopped down again, panting hard.  
"We won't." Her tone made Anakin feel more afraid than he had ever in his life, even when seeing his mother, chained by the Sand people.   
*************************************************************************************  
"Master Obi Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Buffy Summers will go to Tattoine."  
"There's nothing on Tattoine. Tattoine isn't even part of the Republic." Obi Wan protested, not understanding what Yoda had in store.   
"But we can put something on Tattoine. We can put bait. Be ready." Buffy snapped her fingers. "But what's the bait?" Yoda looked down.   
"Choices to make have I."   
"Amidala. They'll want to kill her." Buffy looked at Obi Wan.   
"I don't think she's on Naboo anymore." Windu spoke up.  
"Then where is she?"  
*************************************************************************************  
Everything about Geonosis drew back horrible memories to Amidala. Not only was it cold and dangerous, but it was lonely, and she had no knowledge of the Force to guide her. All she had was her gun and the devoted Droid, R2D2.   
Using reason she figured that whoever had taken Anakin, most likely that strange girl Buffy fought, would only know a few places, and keep close to the central city, which was good and bad. There was less area to cover, but she was more likely to be caught, and if she was taken hostage she doubted there was much hope. Everyone else was so caught up in the war she might be overlooked.   
*************************************************************************************  
"She's here." Willow said simply, before turning to face Spike.  
"Please, no." Anakin murmured, his eyes shut. He could do nothing to stop her, to warn her.   
"I'll get her." Spike volunteered. Spike left the cave and walked down the hollowed hallway. The whole planet was actually made of rock, and everything was built into the rock. Spike used the Force and found a faint reading. He still wasn't very good at using it yet, but his mastery of the light saber compensated. He and Willow actually made a good team, at least when she was attuned to the dark side.   
*************************************************************************************  
"I can't believe she did this. Is she an idiot?" Buffy muttered, climbing out of the ship. She blocked her eyes from the harsh sunlight of Geonosis.   
"She's in love." Obi Wan said. "I guess that is reason enough."  
"I guess. But doesn't she realize she could make the situation worse? I thought she was sensible."  
"Smart maybe, but sensible, no."  
"So the plan? We find them, get her and if we can, him out, they won't kill him, and then head to Tattoine. With any luck the clones will be ready, and they'll follow."   
"I thought I was the Master?"  
"I've always been in charge." Buffy shrugged.   
"Right."  
*************************************************************************************  
Amidala squeezed the gun closer to her body, the block metal reassuring her. She might not have a light saber but she was a dead shot with a blaster gun. Firing it was one of the first things she had learned how to do when she became queen. Had it really been ten years since then?  
Her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light in the cave ways, and her ears to the constantly echoing of every little sound. But she jumped when R2 bumped into something.  
"You have to be quiet R2." The Droid beeped softly.   
"What distracted you? I can't hear anything." But actually, when she stopped Amidala did hear something. It was the faintest swishing sound, and it came only moments before the Sith stepped into her path. Yellow eyes glared at her as a red light saber came into view. Amidala pulled up the gun and aimed, then ducked out from under the swipe. But she hadn't counted on him trying to grab her, instead of killing her. He grabbed her arm in an iron grip and pulled her down the hall.   
"Anakin?" Amidala saw him and relief swept over her. But only for a moment when she realized how dire the situation was.   
"You shouldn't have come." Anakin scolded.   
"But it's a party. We had to invite her." Willow giggled. "So this is the game. Because you came in late. Anakin can't use his Jedi powers anymore, but if he switches to the dark side, then he can use our powers. But he needs a reason. And you're it." Willow grabbed Amidala by the throat.   
"Now Anakin, don't you want to protect her?" Spike elbowed Willow out of the way.   
"I'm hungry." He snapped. Willow rolled her eyes, but let him have Amidala.   
"You can protect her if you join our side."  
"Don't do it Anakin." Amidala said loudly, feeling the Sith's teeth on her throat. Well, she had wondered what a vampire was. Now she knew.  
"You taste like life." Spike murmured. "More life than yourself."  
"Huh?" Willow looked at him. "Is that some weird vampire slang?"  
"She's pregnant you stupid bint." Amidala's eyes flew wide and met with Anakin's.   
"I can't let them hurt you." Anakin realized. "Not now." Amidala was torn. It was a blessing and a curse.  
"This could be good. That baby-"  
"Those babies." Spike interrupted Willow. "Twins."   
"Imagine what Sidious would say. Raising them as his own."  
"Can we join the party?" Willow shuddered at Buffy's voice.  
"The Slayer." Spike jumped up.  
"Well Slayer, and Jedi. Pretty deadly combination." Buffy pulled out her light saber and nodded to Obi Wan.   
"I was wondering when you would show up. The good guy, or girl in your case always has to show up in the nick of time." Willow shifted closer to Anakin and Amidala.   
"Protect them at all costs." Buffy muttered to Obi Wan, as she moved away to circle the room.  
"Hello, lover." Spike said with a laugh. Buffy heard the surprised gasp from Obi Wan, but had no time to think about it. She struck out with her saber and they danced the graceful dance of death. It achingly reminded her of her fight with Angelus. Why did this always happen to her? At least he didn't wear the face of Spike anymore. It was easier to face him, seeing him only as the Sith, even if she did know him as more.   
"Obi Wan, you have to protect Padme." Anakin yelled to his ex Master as he fought past him. "At all costs!…She's having our children."  
"Geez, Anakin!" Obi Wan jumped up as Willow sent a rain of rocks in his direction. She had picked up Amidala's gun and was going between the two methods of fighting.   
"Hadn't planned on it Obi Wan. Believe me!" Obi Wan hadn't attempted using the Force to move things but he had no choice. Ducking a Blaster shot he concentrated on a wall, causing the hole cave to shake.   
"Oops."  
"Good job!" Buffy shouted. She tucked herself into a ball, and rolled away from Spike. She landed near the chained lovers and sobered their chains. "Run like hell. Our ship is outside." Amidala helped Anakin up. Buffy stood in front of Spike, as the room shook again. It was going to cave any second.   
As it gave away she backflipped to the door. Obi Wan dived towards her, as the first rocks fell.   
"I doubt it will kill them, but it will buy us time to get to Tattoine."  
"Are you nuts? She's pregnant!"  
"What? We have no time to argue." Buffy was the first back to the ship and she barked orders at the captain as Obi Wan made him way to them. As they lifted off a small army of Geonosians found them.  
"Shoot, they were warned. You can get away right?" The captain shrugged.   
"Do you have a Droid ready miss?" Buffy nodded. "R4 is in the back."  
"Poor R2. We left him behind." Amidala said.   
"He'll find us. I don't worry." Obi Wan said with a wan smile. "Buffy we should talk."   
"About what?"  
"The Sith, and Amidala."  
"A mistake, and we have no choice."  
"What's happening?" Anakin asked.   
"The council wanted us to use Amidala as bait to start a battle on Tattoine. They wanted us to destroy as much of the Droid army as possible, away from civilization."  
"We can't!"  
"We have no choice Anakin." Amidala said, noting to herself it was men versus women. "I trust them. They haven't let us die yet have they?"   
"I don't like it." What else could he do? He had already messed up enough. 


	10. Part 10

Part Ten  
"Very interesting." Mace Windu gazed at Dawn. The building felt strange, now that many of the Jedi had been dispersed. It felt devoid of The Force, except here, with this girl. "And you say on earth they just called it energy?"  
"Pretty much. We didn't know about that whole Midi Chorian thing. It's kinda strange. Like we knew there were infinite dimensions outside of earth, but we never thought there were infinite inhabited galaxies around the universe. It makes me wonder how much we don't know, and how big it really is."  
"Mmm hmm."   
"So yeah." Dawn shifted her wait, bored and tired. Mace Windu and Yoda were staring at her, as they gave her a few mental tests, which she found upon trying, were very easy. She hadn't known she actually had powers as The Key. It was kind of cool, but still not that exciting. She wanted to be out there, doing stuff.   
"Well I certainly think with the most basic training she can aid us. We really have no choice."  
"You mean it?" Dawn squeaked. "I get to do stuff?"  
"Send her back to her friend."  
"Teach them I will. Contact Chancellor Palpatine you will. Check up on Obi Wan Kenobi I suggest." Yoda and Mace nodded at each other. Yoda beckoned Dawn to follow him.   
"I get to be a Jeditoo. Haha Xander." Dawn wiggled her tongue at Xander.  
"Does everyone get to be a Jedi accept for me? Is this my punishment for becoming a Vengeance demon again?" Anya pouted .  
"To much anger in you I fear." Yoda said with a wink.  
*************************************************************************************  
"Yes, sir. We have successfully rescued Anakin and Amidala, and are on our way to Tattoine as we speak."  
"Excellent. I have been promised that the Clone armies are on their way." Mace Windu cleared his throat. "I also sense that the Dark Side is on the move."  
"Good. We're ready." Buffy said walking past the hologram.  
"But there's something you should know." Buffy stamped on Obi Wan's foot before he could tell Master Windu anything.   
"We'll report when we arrive."  
"He should know Buffy."  
"He can't know. It would put her in even more danger. You know my suspicions."  
"That the Council is evil?"  
"No. That there's something going on in the Republic, something beyond the separatists."  
"Maybe it's me, but there's a whole lot of sexual tension in this room." Buffy and Obi Wan turned sharply to Anakin. He smirked. Amidala slapped him.  
"You're well enough to insult you're well enough for a slap. They have more control than you do." Buffy and Obi Wan blushed.   
"Maybe you feel something evil because you were with something evil." Obi Wan said icily. Buffy drew in a sharp breath.  
"That's not fair. You know nothing about my past. I never loved him, never even liked him. You know that I died. You know how much it hurt me."  
"Yes. I felt it." Somehow he could confess this in front of Anakin now. He seemed so much more grown up now. Obi Wan felt guilty, that he hadn't noticed it before. Maybe he could have saved some- well he probably couldn't have saved Anakin from his fate. Love was a powerful master. "But I'm worried. If you're connected to him then it could be a danger to us."  
"She was my best friend. Is that a danger too?" Buffy's lip trembled as she struggled not to cry. She had been holding it all in, trying to be strong as she fought her past, and everyone she loved. She refused to cry in front of these people she barely knew. Obi Wan looked at her helplessly. She sniffled and dried her eyes, then marched into another compartment.  
"We'll be there soon. Are you both ready for what's to come?"  
"For the moment." Anakin looked into Amidala's eyes and caressed her face. She leaned her forehead against his. "We'll get through this." Obi Wan felt the familiar twing in his gut and followed Buffy into the other compartment.   
She was curled up on a couch, barely a bump in the folds of her robes. Obi Wan heard the muffled sobbing from the rough material and dared to pull it back from the head of his younger apprentice.   
"Buffy."  
"Leave me alone."  
"We're going soon."  
"I know."  
"I think you're worrying Anakin and Amidala. They are trusting us to protect them."  
"I'm sorry." Buffy dared to peek out from her robes. "I know it isn't very Jedi like of me."  
"Well you have an excuse. You weren't trained in the ways of the Jedi. But I don't have an excuse."  
"For what?"  
"For this." Obi Wan leaned in and kissed her. This time she noticed the way his mustache and beard tickled her chin. She was kissing a man now and not a boy, and not a dead monster. Buffy kissed him back, her arms slipping out of her robes and cupping his face. She shut her eyes, letting one last sob escape. "What am I doing?" He murmured against her lips. "Stop me. Please."  
"We have a duty to perform. You said it yourself. Love is a distraction." Buffy pried her Master away from her. "Another time, another life."   
"Another life?" Obi Wan said, but Buffy was already getting ready to dock on Tattoine.  
*************************************************************************************  
"Ow." Willow shoved the rocks away from her and coughed. Somewhere on the other side of the room Spike was doing the same, but with much louder and angrier groans. "Darth Sidious isn't going to be happy with us."  
"What bloody genius had to figure that one out." It was strange to hear the British accent coming from the feral looking Sith.   
"I think I broke my arm."  
"Do you think I care? I'm going to go get him again."  
"I think I'll come up with a new plan."  
"To each his own then." Spike jumped out of the rubble and trotted off, just like that. Willow screamed in frustration as she worked on the rocks that were pinning her down.   
*************************************************************************************  
"You swing like a girl." Anya said flatly. Xander dropped his saber. "Do you mind?"  
"Just thought you'd like to know."  
"You should have seem me in action when I fought Sith Spike. You wouldn't have said that then."  
"Maybe not in those words."  
"Can't you do something useful? All you've done since you got here is follow me around insulting me. It got old really fast. At least I went to Naboo and fought Willow."  
"Yeah. Good job."  
"Shut up. Here comes Master Yoda." Xander bent his head, along with the other children when the master entered. Dawn sort of looked off into space, annoyed and bored, her usual expressions. Teens didn't change, even in space.   
"Welcome young ones. Today, discuss we will, the benefit of the Republic and the fight of the Jedi. Know you all of the strain now, and the chaos created."  
"I know this one!" Xander raised his arm, intending to show Anya that he wasn't stupid or pathetic.   
"Yes Padawan Xander?"  
"The Republic was created to organize all species and create a standard for social, economic and political interaction all over the known galaxies."  
"Good your answer is. And the Jedi?"  
"When the worlds were starting to become civilized a scientist by the name of Argofraz discovered The Force, and found it in high concentrations in certain people. On further study he found these people could do more than normal people could, and he knew that it should be used for good so he formed The Jedi Council." The kid who answered was the Yoda lookalike.  
"Yoda's pet! Yoda wannabe." Xander muttered. Dawn and Anya exchanged looks, then smothered giggles.   
"Give it up Xander. Maybe they can give you a desk job." That was the last straw.   
"I quit. I'm gonna show you all." Xander snarled marching away from the lesson. He bolted from the Academy training floor. He was on the next ship to Tattoine, and he was alone. 


	11. Part 11

Part Eleven  
Willow had decided that instead of hauling her ass across the galaxy to Tattoine she would go back to Coruscant and appeal to Darth Sidious directly. In the worse case he would kill her, best giver her another assignment. And she almost didn't care. Nothing had seemed right, nor gone right since the death of Tara. Killing Warren hadn't done anything except fulfill a primal urge for revenge. It hadn't satiated her pain.   
*************************************************************************************  
"As soon as we have a chance to send you, you are going to live with my step brother and his father. Don't try to protest Padme. When it's safe I'll come get you."  
"Anakin, don't be ridiculous. You can't fight. You aren't allowed to use the Force anymore. At the most you'll get yourself killed."  
"We need him. You have to understand Amidala that your safety is important. Whether or not you're a queen your life is in danger, and now more so because you're pregnant." Buffy said.   
"Let's go everyone. Amidala, stay with ship. We're going to have a look around. I bet the dark Side already knows you're here. Call back to Coruscant. See what's keeping that Clone army." Buffy followed Obi Wan and Anakin out of the ship.   
"This place is a complete 180 from Naboo isn't it?"  
"Welcome to my home." Anakin said, gesturing to the expanse of desert.  
"At least no one will be able to sneak up on us, like they did on Coruscant."   
"It's funny." Buffy said with a snort. "Back home, I had never left Southern California, and now, well I've been to other planets before I've been to other countries on my own planet."   
"Funny." Anakin agreed flatly. "What do you think Master Obi Wan Kenobi?"  
"I think a sandstorm is coming. Let's get inside." They were to far from the ship so they made their way to an outlying building, which turned out to be a sleazy bar, a popular tourist attraction on Tattoine, for the scum buckets of the universe.   
"Has it really been that long that I didn't recognize it coming?" Anakin asked himself, watching the dust start to kick up.  
"Your observational skills have been clouded by love, young …Anakin." Anakin was waiting for Obi Wan to say Padawan. He missed the derisive tone, much to his surprise.   
"Maybe we can find some useful information while we're here at least." Buffy offered, scanning the room.  
"What would they know?" Anakin asked, dubious.   
"More than you would think." Obi Wan sat down on a stool.   
"Anakin? Is that you?" Anakin turned to face an olive skinned teen. "I thought you were becoming a Jedi?" The curious young man nodded to Obi Wan. Anakin held up his hand.   
"Seek! I got married, just recently. To the Senator of Naboo."  
"Then what are you doing on Tattoine?" Anakin glanced between his old friend, and his old master.   
"There's a war going on, between The Republic and The Independent Systems. A battle is going to be fought here."  
"You're not serious, are you? Tattoine isn't even part of the Republic! Or the Independent Systems." Seek looked at Anakin, his head cocked.  
"That's why." Obi Wan said gravely. "It's less inhabited and it's neutral territory."  
"You know the locals are going to be furious."   
"We had no choice."  
"I bet you didn't."  
"Seek, please, we need all the allies we can get here."  
"Well, since it's you Ani. We did hear something." Seek guided them over to a booth so they could talk more privately. "I heard once, maybe a year ago, about an empire. I didn't know what they were talking about. But it makes sense doesn't it? Why would they have a war if not to destroy the Republic and create an empire."  
"But the independent Systems don't have enough power to do that." Anakin argued. He looked to Obi Wan to support him. Obi Wan nodded.  
"It's true. They don't."  
"Ahem. May we look to within the Republic? That is why people split isn't it?" Buffy spoke up. "Maybe an outsider is the only one who can properly observe this."  
"The Jedi council would know of such things."  
"We aren't omnipotent Anakin. We make mistakes."  
"I'm not arguing that. But something as big as the creation of an empire couldn't go under their noses. I don't believe it."  
"I'm just telling you what I heard." Seek stood up. "I hope you don't mind but I have to go. It was nice seeing you again Anakin."  
"See you around Seek." Seek nodded to the others and disappeared through the crowd with a sinister smile on his face.   
*************************************************************************************  
The Sith paced back and forth in his ship, waiting to dock. The sand storm had delayed their arrival on Tattoine. He was eager to get off and search for the boy, especially after the mast message from his Master. The scratchy voice still echoed in the air.   
Was it really his fault that they were outnumbered? Willow was no help. It was him against The Jedi and Buffy and the little twerps. He would make up for it now. The ships with the Droids were on their way. They would slaughter the Jedi and their little clones. The Republic would worry. They would look to Chancellor Palpatine who would lead them to disaster.   
"We're ready to dock."  
"Excellent." Spike licked his finger and pressed it against his sharpened horns. His tattooed finger came back bloody. "Round three."  
*************************************************************************************  
"What is it again? Look inward. Sense the Force in you and around you. Use it to guide yourself." Xander opened his eyes. Centering himself, as Yoda had taught him, did nothing to calm his nerves, nor help him to place Buffy among the masses of people on Tattoine. He was glad the ship landed just before the storm.  
"You haven't seen a couple Jedi and a oh never mind." Xander backed away from the lumbering Bantha. "I've got to learn that mind control thingy." Even in the midst of the market Xander caught sight of the blond hair. It also helped that the woman was in bright earth clothing.  
"Anya Christina Emmanuel Emerson , what are you doing here?" Xander roared in shock.  
"I dunno. I came along for the ride. I figured you would need help."  
"From you? What could you possibly do? I would expect this from Dawn, but not from you."  
"This." Anya morphed into her Vengeance demon face which always made Xander jump.   
"That's about it?"  
"So."  
"Do you at least have a weapon to defend yourself with?"  
"Yes." Anya pulled out a light saber.  
"You stole a light saber! You don't even know how to use it."  
"Well then I'll give throw it away."   
"Urgggg! You drive me crazy woman! If I wasn't worried about you I'd walk away right now."  
"You're worried about me? That's great. Did you worry about me when you left me at-"  
"Don't even say it!" Xander cut in, realizing people were staring. "Just be quiet. Follow me." Anya, to his surprise did quiet. He led her away from the scene, not even knowing he was heading towards his Jedi allies.   
*************************************************************************************  
Dawn looked at Mace Windu who was sitting in front of her, with his eyes closed.  
"You remind me of this guy on earth. He acts in movies. His name is Samuel L. Jackson. I don't know what the L is for. But it sounds right. It wouldn't sound good without the L." Mace Windu cracked one eye open.   
"You're supposed to be gathering strength."  
"I'm too excited. I can do this. I know I can. Buffy never let me go patrolling with her, so now I'll show her."  
"This isn't a game young one. This is dangerous. I have seen many Jedi slain in battle."  
"Well my sister died for me. I know how it works. That's why I'm prepared to do all I can to repay her." the other Jedi's eye opened.   
"Fight side by side and you might survive." Their ship was at the back of a convoy of Clone armies, that had been sent wrongly to Coruscant and had to be resent to Tattoine. 


	12. Part 12

Part Twelve  
"All action is centering on Tattoine. While I am most displeased, there is still hope to redeem yourself. See that the girl is destroyed. The boy will join us then."  
"Yes Master." Willow turned the hologram off and sighed. Everyone was on Tattoine and she really didn't want to see Buffy again, or face her, especially with a broken arm. And she knew Buffy would kill her if she had to, to protect an innocent. Willow felt torn and frustrated.   
*************************************************************************************  
"The Clone Armies are on their way." Obi Wan stepped back into view. Buffy nodded, loosening her robes against the heat of the suns.  
"We should go back to the ship and check on Amidala."  
"No need. I'm here." The dark haired senator strode up to the group confidently. "And it's to late to send me back."  
"I knew you wouldn't follow my instructions." Anakin growled. "Stay in the rear."  
"I know where I'm going Anya."  
"You do not Xander Harris!"  
"Oh yeah. Then who are they?…Hey I found them! With my Jedi skills!"  
"Xander? Anya? How did you guys get here."  
"Xander stole a ship and I hid away on it."  
"Smart Xander. You were supposed to be watching Dawn."  
"That was never a written contract. You need me Buffy. Especially if you're going to be fighting Willow and Spike again."  
"Fine. More people to get killed."  
"Hey. Have I ever gotten killed? Even when we faced apocalypses."  
"Newsflash, this isn't earth Xander. It's more dangerous."  
"Tell me that when we're fighting an alien god who wants to destroy all of civilization in every earth dimension!" Buffy looked up at Xander, admitting defeat.   
"Ok. But at least tell me where Dawn is."  
"We left her with the Samuel L Jackson look alike." Anya said looking Anakin up and down.   
"You're very cute. Except for that metal hand thing."  
"Uh, thanks." Anakin blushed and exchanged a look with Amidala, who laughed. He noticeably tucked his hand behind his back though.  
"Look, here come some ships." Amidala pointed to the sky.  
"Those aren't The Clone ships. Those belong to the Independent Systems." Obi Wan pulled out his light saber.  
"Oh no."  
"Well the odds sure aren't in our favor are they?"  
"It's all your fault Xander Harris."  
"Don't start Anya." Buffy grit her teeth. "We're not Jedi for nothing. And I'm not the thrice risen Slayer for nothing either. I've had worse odds."  
"May I swear now?" Xander asked.  
"Sure." Buffy shrugged, pulling out her light saber.  
"Shit. This sucks."  
"Ok people, weapons ready." The first of the ships descended into the open desert.   
*************************************************************************************  
Spike popped out of the ship with his light saber swinging, a movement intended to intimidate, but the Jedi who were waiting did not seem impressed. Looking around more he realized that they had no army backing them.  
"The odds are certainly in my favor, are they not?" The Sith hissed, winding his way towards the Jedi companions.  
"He's mine. The rest of you try to attack the other ships as they are landing. Rip the hulls, anything to buy us more time." Buffy commanded. "Go!"  
"You really think you can take me without your friends?"  
"Counting on it." Buffy switched hands with her light saber, feeling the sturdy metal thrumming in her hands. Simultaneously they went for each other. The light sabers smacked together, and there was the sound of energy being thrown through the air. Excellent fighters each, they intently swiped at each other, but they also knew each others weaknesses.   
"Your friends are in danger Slayer." Buffy willed herself not to look.   
"They'll have to get themselves out of it themselves…I trust them." As they parried blows for what seemed like eternity Buffy noticed that Spike was holding back on her, maybe if just a fraction, and he probably didn't know.   
*************************************************************************************  
Lucky enough the ships of Clones arrived to relieve the tired Obi Wan and the others. They were all tiring of hacking at the Droid ships and defending themselves. They had managed to seal two shut for the time being, but it wouldn't hold them forever.   
"We've come to your rescue guys!" Dawn hopped out of the last ship with her light saber flying. Xander's jaw dropped.   
"Just call me Mrs Force." Dawn laughed. This wasn't the same shy girl that he had left on Coruscant. Buffy would have a shock. Under the guidance of Mace Windu they all worked hard to hack at the Droid armies.  
"You're Anakin right?" Dawn asked Anakin when she found herself by his side.  
"Yeah. Why?"  
"I dunno. They said you were made of Midi Chlorians. I am too. Kindred Spirits I guess." Anakin smiled.  
"I pity you then, You'll be the Council's little pet."  
"Well I have to go back to earth."  
"Somehow I don't think they'll let you go that easy." Anakin moved away from Dawn not wanting to show her the pity that was no doubt displayed on his face. He remembered all to well what it meant to become a Jedi and he was almost glad he got out of it. Almost, he missed the power of a light saber in his hand. A blaster gun wasn't the same.  
"What now?" Xander looked up to the sky to see a final ship approaching, smaller than the others that had arrived. "Is it enemy?"  
"I dunno. You're the padawan." Anya shrugged, waving her gun with the gesture.  
"Watch it with that thing will you?"  
"Sorry. I'll shoot now." Anya shot a few more Droids.   
"How's Buffy doing?"  
"I can't see her through all the crossfire."  
"I'll cover you. Go check on her." Xander jumped in front of Anya and sobered as many droids as he could reach. Sweat was trickling into his eyes and it stung with the upturned sand, but he tried to keep his mind on survival. Anya sprinted across the battlefield, although sprinted is being generous, as she muddled through the sand. She shot the droids that noticed her.   
"Haven't been around for 1000 years for nothing. Been through to many wars to put up with this bullshit." She didn't notice that the other ship had landed and that someone with dark hair was following her, blocking any shots from herself.  
************************************************************************************  
Buffy panted, despite her Slayer strength she was fading. Then Spike made a hasty move and she felt his robes rip with the swipe of her sword. He howled and backed away.  
"You're out of your element in daylight Spike." Buffy said, grimacing and hacking at him again. But he managed to roll away, leaving a pool of robes. She could catch glimpses of his body now, and it sent shivers down her spine. She had known him so intimately, and now this. Spike covered his eyes so he could see her better. She knew she had the advantage.  
"Buffy!" She looked up to see Anya, and someone behind Anya.  
"Well well, who have we here? A little vengeance demon."  
"Anya! Look out." Buffy sighed, exasperated, as Spike regrouped. She could see a gash on his leg, that he wasn't letting stop him. His bright yellow eyes narrowed in his black and red face.   
"I vowed to kill you once, I guess my turn to kill you has come." Spike ran at her. His blade was inches from her head, and she felt paralyzed. Then he seemed to be thrown. Buffy looked up at Willow, who seemed surprised at herself. Spike turned to see Willow, who was now running towards them. He leaped into the air and came down, with an agonizing crunch, onto the sand next to Willow. His saber struck her, straight through, and she collapsed. He cackled with laughter.  
"Next time Slayer." Spike hissed and sped away. Buffy didn't bother to follow, but sunk to her knees next to Willow.  
"Buffy." Buffy touched Willow's hair which was fading back to red. "You're ok."  
"Willow. I knew you would come back to me." Buffy cradled her dying friend, as Anya kept droids at bay, which wasn't necessary as much, now that the clones were there.   
"I'm sorry I can't stay." Willow smiled, her knowing, and familiar smile.   
"Don't leave me."  
"I have to go see Tara now. I'm glad I didn't kill you."  
"Me too."  
"You'll always be my best friend Buff." Willow closed her eyes, and her body became heavy in Buffy's arms.   
"This ends now." Buffy stood up, and gathering the Force to her, she struck out with her mind. All the druids in a 100 meter radius exploded. All her friends looked to her, wondering if she would do what Willow did. No. She would do her duty, because that was who she was. 


	13. Part 13

Part Thirteen  
"Buffy. Don't move." Obi Wan sprinted towards her.   
"Stay away master!"  
"Please. Let me help you."   
"I'm alright." She tried to show him an at ease expression, but he didn't buy it.   
"Master Kenobi! Word from Coruscant!" Mace Windu held up his comlink. "Darth Sidious has taken over the Jedi Temple. Chancellor Palpatine has gone missing again."  
"Who did you talk to?"  
"Barriss, the Padawan of Master Luminara. They were about to embark on their mission." Obi Wan nodded, and turned back to Buffy when Mace had continued the fight. They would deal with what was happening on Coruscant in a moment.   
"Buffy…"  
"We should help. This is very bad. The Republic is falling apart." Buffy shook her head, and continued to shake it, so hard that Obi Wan had to hold her, to stop her.   
"I know you're upset. It's alright to grieve. She died nobly, after what she did…I kow you probably hate me right now."  
"Why Master?"  
"Because I dragged you all into this."  
"I think there's a bigger purpose than we can divine. I don't blame you." Obi Wan felt surprised, and intimidated by his younger allies words. She had seem unfathomable depths to the universe, that he would never hope to see. It made his very heart jostle in his chest, something he had never felt before. He wondered what else he had been missing out on, for a moment, until his Jedi reasoning took over.  
"We need to finish this, and get back to Coruscant." Buffy looked at him, the faintest of tears in her multi colored, flecked eyes.   
"You sure you can do this?"  
"Yes." Buffy looked at the body of Willow and gently wrapped the robes over her face.  
"We can give her a good funeral pyre."   
"Yes. We can. Goodbye Willow." Buffy brushed sand off her robes and pulled back her sleeves. "Come on Master." Obi Wan followed Buffy, so confused by her he was, that he could not start to comprehend what had happened.  
*************************************************************************************  
"Why? Why? God, Willow." Xander watched from a distance as Willow died in Buffy's arms. "I'm going to kill Spike this time. I said it before and now I mean it."  
"What good will that do Xander? I've been a vengeance demon for 1000 years…and it doesn't make the pain go away."  
"So you admit it Anya?"  
"I do, ok? That's why I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There. Are you happy?"  
"No. Why would that make me happy. You're miserable Anya. I'm miserable. Things have been really messed up lately. And I can't say sorry again to you, but you know I am. When this is over, I want to stay. And I want to be a Jedi."  
"You really aren't going to marry me?"  
"Guys, the battle?" Dawn cut in, saving Xander from a blaster shot. He looked relieved to not have to answer the question, and dug right in, weaving between Jenga Fett clones.  
*************************************************************************************  
"Not bad for a beginner." Mace Windu's deep voice rumbled in Dawn's ear.  
"Maybe now Buffy won't stick me under house arrest every time she goes patrolling." Following Buffy's lead Dawn tried to suck it up and concentrate. She didn't want to think about Willow and what had happened, and oh God, Spike. Spike who loved her, Spike who protected her. He had killed Willow. Mace braced her for a moment.  
"Padawan?"  
"I'm fine." Dawn shook her head and squinted. "The droids are pretty much baked."   
"That's the good thing about the hot Tattoine sun, and machines that aren't ready for it." Anakin passed by Dawn to intercept Buffy.  
"I want you to know I'll do all I can to stop that Sith. I owe it to you, to all of us."  
"It's my fight. Thanks anyway." Anakin looked at his old Master. "I think it's time to head to Coruscant."  
"I think we should rest first. Don't you Master Kenobi? The humans are tired, and Amidala has to go to The Larses."  
"No Anakin. The Republic is my responsibility."  
"You promised me Padme."  
"Let her do what she wants. There's no use arguing." Buffy smiled, for the first time all day. "I should know. That's how I am too."  
"I think Anakin was at least right in refreshing ourselves. I don't think there's a person here who hadn't been blasted or chopped in some way or form." Obi Wan briefly touched Buffy's ripped robes, before snatching his hand away.  
"Let's go get Willow then."  
"Please, let me." Anakin rushed ahead.  
"He's generally a good boy, but he was always so headstrong and he had to much of an ego, and he wasn't trained from a baby like most."  
"From a baby? You never knew families?"  
"You saw the young ones at the Academy."  
"So you've been alone your whole life?" Obi Wan shifted away, wading through the charred bodies of droids and clones. "Isn't it lonely?"  
"When you don't know what loneliness is, you don't know you are."   
"That's silly. Of course you do."  
"You don't know the name of what you feel. Just that you feel." Buffy caught up to him, and they walked side by side. Everyone trailed behind them, at a safe distance, the battle all but won. They were barely noticeable from a distance, save the dark robes of Willow, being carried by Anakin. "But since I've met you I've learned much about everything." Buffy blushed, and didn't look at him, knowing how this was tearing him up inside. It was tearing her up inside too, but not the same way.   
"I knew you would never be my true Padawan, but you're a good companion."  
"Is that it?" Buffy whispered.   
"It has to be." His blue eyes looked at her, so strict and unyielding, yet gentle and wise, and full of frustration.   
"For the sake of what? Your galactic government is falling apart. Everything else will too, in time. Will you still abide by your codes then?"  
"Just because the institution is gone doesn't mean the teachings don't live on Buffy."  
"Rule eighteen of the Slayer's Handbook. Live Life. Do you call what you do living, Obi Wan Kenobi? Mindlessly following orders as a robot? You are superior in battle yes, but you don't experience life, and that makes you inferior." Buffy picked up her pace and entered the now familiar bar.   
Mace Windu radioed back to Coruscant again, but no one received their message. It bothered him. Buffy was glad to finally have a moment with Dawn.  
"I knew this moment would have to come in time. I have to say I'm surprised."  
"I knew I could do it Buffy. You never gave me a chance. Does this mean I can patrol with you when we get back to earth?"  
"We'll see."  
"I need to say something." Xander spoke up. They turned to him, and Buffy noticed, that in the days they had been there Xander had changed, grown up. Outwardly he was growing shaggy, and muscular from all the training. Inward he was maturing, and finally realizing his destiny. "I want to stay and help. I want to become a Jedi. They need me. And as much as you all hope, I'm not going to marry Anya. We know this, and accept it."  
"Are you sure about this?" Xander nodded firmly, looking into Buffy's eyes.   
"I've always looked up to you, for what you could do. I was always the Zeppo. Now, I can finally be the hero. Please Buffy, let me be the hero."  
"Willow would have been proud of you." They slipped their hands together for a moment.   
"You too."   
"I assume you're going back to earth?" Obi Wan raised an eyebrow at Buffy. The truth masked behind his casual tone was noticeable to only Buffy and Anakin, who had a knowing smile on his face.   
"I'm protector of earth. It's my sacred birthright. It's who I am." He didn't say anything more. Buffy willed him to protest, to volunteer to come with her, but she knew he wouldn't, he couldn't. He was to set in his ways, in the path grooved by the Jedi that had gone before.   
A few hours later the group set out to find undamaged ships, and surviving clones.   
*************************************************************************************  
In all the chaos word had been mysteriously received from chancellor Palpatine suggesting an emergency disbandment of the Senate, telling everyone to go back and help their home planets. No decisions would be made in their wake, even though he still held Supreme Power.   
In any normal situation the Senate would laugh at this request, but because they knew that the Republic was truly threatened, and many of the Senators were corrupt individuals, worried about their safety more than the safety of their people they left Coruscant. And then the Siths invaded.  
*************************************************************************************  
"It is such a pity you had to kill her." Spike nodded to the hologram of his master, which was accompanied by annoying background noises of screaming and entropy. "She betrayed us master."  
"It doesn't matter anymore. The Jedi and the senate are scattered. There is nothing they can do to stop us."  
"The one they call Anakin Skywalker Master."  
"Yes, Precocious and Force Driven he is."  
"We still need him don't we?"  
"I have great plans for him."   
"It is done." Spike pondered, as he turned off the communicator if he would be getting intergalactic air miles for all of this. 


	14. Part 14

Part Fourteen  
Note: Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been super busy. I hope you like this chapter. It's not as good as the others, but it at least sets everything up for the climax. Thanks for reading my story!  
To say that the Republic was in disrepair was being generous. The fast crumble was due to the slowly growing factions and dissatisfaction of its members.   
And it was all foreseen by Darth Sidious, who had lead the downfall himself, without the Jedi ever realizing.   
*************************************************************************************  
Coruscant did not seem so different from ship level, but they all knew that it was partially deserted, and filled with the minions of Sidious and the soldiers of The Independent Systems.   
Anakin was quietly fuming, and the others were in a similar inward state. Obi Wan sat next to Buffy, his hand resting millimeters from hers, but not touching. She stared at the floor. He wanted to say something to her but he didn't know what to say. How did he comfort her over the lose of her best friend? He had had friends at the Jedi Academy but he had never stayed out long enough to have lasting friendships.   
"So what happens after today?" Xander spoke up at long last. "If we win, do we keep fighting until the whole thing is squished? If we lose, do we hide? Do we abandon the republic? Have we signed up for a losing battle?"  
He said what they were all wondering and hadn't the nerve to put to thought. They looked to Mace Windu who had been seeing the Republic falling part from long before they had. "Master Windu?" Obi Wan prompted.   
"The Jedi will do what we have always done. We will fight for the Republic, no matter what happens." He didn't say anything more.   
"This actually reminds me a lot more of slaying than I thought." Buffy mused to herself."  
*************************************************************************************  
It was the second time in as many weeks that Master Yoda had to take up the light saber to defend all that he had worked for over the last few centuries. "Darth Sidious, meeting you, a rare occasion it is."   
"Master Yoda." The Sith Master growled. "I can't say it is a surprise."  
"Win this you will not. The Republic is far larger than you imagine." A smug smiled played on the shadowed face of Yoda's opponent.   
"That's what you think." The Sith hissed, with a painful cry he lashed out with the force. Yoda yelped as the man tried to squeeze him with his mind. Wrenching free Yoda whipped out his light saber. "The thing about you Yoda," Darth Sidious started, as he parried with his saber, "Is that you always believe in the good of everything and fail to see the bad until it is to late. Centuries old and you haven't learned." Toda frowned. Could this Sith be speaking the truth?  
"Who are you?" Yoda asked.   
*************************************************************************************  
Spike felt the dread returning to the pit of his stomach. He hated Coruscant. He had no sun to fear, so he rather liked Tattoine. But he hated the cramped, crowded planet with a passion. At least he had some strange alien drink in his stomach. It helped to calm his nerves.  
Even if he was evil, and boy did it feel good to be evil, something had gone through him when he killed Willow, some shadow of a doubt that reminded him of his past love for Buffy. He could have killed her right there as she threw herself on top of the body, but he had fled. Every time they met he fled.   
He knew that was why he hadn't killed the woman, or successfully ruined the boy, but that would chance, he vowed, that would change. He would make sure that he never felt anything more for Buffy Summers, ever again.   
*************************************************************************************  
"It's scary to think that we came here, and we fought, and we saw a bigger picture, but there was still a bigger picture over that that just like crushed our picture. It's like an ant and a magnifying glass. You aren't following me."  
"No Dawn. Not even close."  
"A good Jedi always tries to see the bigger picture, and identify the evil." Obi Wan said, to ease the Slayer's sister's tension. Dawn stuck her tongue out at Buffy.  
"That's why you'll always be at home Dawn." Buffy reminded her.  
"Leave her alone Buffy." Xander said quietly. "Just don't."  
"If things get bad you're all invited back to Naboo. We survived attacks before, we can do it again. You can have protection there." Amidala said.   
"We'd probably be safer back on earth, in our homes, away from the Empire. I mean Republic." Buffy said coldly. Willow's death was affecting her slowly, numbing her more to the pains of the universe each second as she felt the mixed emotion for her friend billow up inside her heart and cause more pain and confusion.  
"Can I talk to you in private Padawan Buffy? Anger gets you nowhere." Obi Wan said. Buffy nodded and slid from her seat, to follow him to the other room. "I haven't known you very long but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you are not usually discouraged by bad odds."  
"I'm not. On earth Obi Wan. This is to big for anyone, especially one little organization of knights, no matter how good, to deal with on their own."  
"We have the Republic."  
"No you don't. God, wake up Obi Wan! The Republic that you love so well is run by the bad guys. There's a saying on earth. 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.' You're true enemies lie not just with the Independent Systems but within the Republic itself." Buffy looked at Obi Wan, openly, without hate, just with knowledge. He watched her watching him, sorry but certain, and he knew, he couldn't deny it, and shove it away anymore, he knew that he was terribly ignorant. And it would cost him and his fellow Jedi more than they would ever know.   
Obi Wan trembled and Buffy held her arms out to him. He silently let her fold him into her small but strong arms, as he wept bitterly for the lose of the world he had tried to save. Suddenly, Buffy felt an overwhelming need to have him, there was something so right, so true, and so familiar with him.   
"Come back to earth with me…And don't think of it as abandonment. Think of it as saving yourself for the future. You can help me on earth. You can be with me. They'll be no ties of time and space to bind us. No horizon we could not pursue. Could you let the Jedi rules that bind you unravel?" Buffy brushed her fingers through his hair, which still had flecks of sand in it. She smiled to herself, through the sadness that prevailed.  
Obi Wan pressed himself against her as if he could meld himself to her, and learn some of what she knew so he could have peace within himself. Unlike Anakin who could easily toss his destiny aside for love, Obi Wan's course seemed as set as the stars themselves. It had been since he had been born, and it could not be denied forever. Not forever, but maybe for a little while. He raised his head so his blue eyes met her eyes.   
"How are you so certain that the risk would be worth it?"  
"It's your choice. I gave you my offer." She said nothing more to help him. The ship lurched, and suddenly they were thrown against each other.  
"I hate to interrupt Master Kenobi, but the ship is under attack." Buffy watched as the mask slipped back over her Jedi Master's face.  
"Thank you Anakin. See that the Droids are working. I'll be there in a minute."  
"Yes, sir." Obi Wan looked at Buffy.   
"It was a stupid question in a time of need, for us both. Good luck Obi Wan." Buffy slipped past him and Obi Wan cursed himself because he let her walk.  
*************************************************************************************  
Darh Sidious was strong with the Force, but Yoda had more experience, more time to hone his skills and learn the patience needed to control it. Well Sidious had learned more patience since the last time they had met, when he was still young, and Yoda, well he was less old.   
"You will never win."  
"I already have Yoda."  
"The Jedi will never die. We may recede into the background of the galaxy, but we will never die." Yoda promised the Sith Master, scared that the painful truth was, well the truth.  
"That's the pesky thing about your kind."   
"Chancellor Palpatine, Darth Sidious, Jedi will know and stop you, even if I do not. This vowed I have."  
"Your Jedi are being taken out one by one by my people."  
"Believe you I don't."  
"Don't then." They parried back and forth, Yoda focusing all his heart on beating the Sith, and Chancellor in one. If he could kill him then he may be able to savage what was left of the Republic.   
The Sith's com link turned on and Yoda jumped forward, using the momentary distraction to cut the Sith across the ankles.  
"This isn't over!" The Sith warned, using what was left of his strength to propel him and his bleeding feet away. Yoda stood panting, a tear in his eye. He had never cried in his life. 


	15. Part 15

Part Fifteen  
  
The ship shook and smoked seemed to fill the air. "If we go down where the hell are we going to land?" Anya yelled, bracing herself against a wall.  
"Down to the ground. The real ground," responded Mace Windu.   
"I have an idea." They looked at Xander in surprise. "I know, there's a first time for everything." He licked his lips. "Since the force can propel objects in motion for a little while, doesn't it stand to reason that we could hold the ship in the air long enough for the droids to try and fix it? If we all work together it might work."  
"I don't know about this." Obi Wan Kenobi shook his head. "If we burn out we might not have enough energy to salvage ourselves from the wreckage.   
"They'll we'll have to make it. Xander. Take my hand." Buffy linked arms with Xander, a practice they had been using for such a long time.  
"Do you remember invoking the first?" Xander asked quietly. Buffy nodded. When Anakin tried to join the circle Obi Wan held his hand up.   
"Sorry Anakin. I can't let you do this. Because of what you've done your energy might not focus. It could hurt us all."  
"I'm the strongest in the force Master. Let me help. I'll be careful."  
"Ani," Amidala protested. He looked towards her, a mutual sign of helplessness passing through them as they recalled the incident with the Sand People. He had let the Force flow through him then and it resulted in the massacre of a whole tribe.   
"If you don't want to die let me do this. If you see that my mind is slipping toss me out of the circle.   
"I don't like it but alright." Amidala and Anya stayed outside the circle and watched the others join hands. The ship was rocking hard in the air, threatening to tip over, or nose dive at any minute. They all knew the droids were trying to fix the problems but they would have no chance with the gunfire raining down on them, and the ship plummeting to the ground.   
"Is it working? Huh?" Anya peered into the circle. Amidala clamped her hand over Anya's mouth.  
"Break their concentration and we all die." Amidala said. Anya nodded and Amidala took her hand away. Anya instead, watched with fascination. The power was almost tangible. Imagine if Tara or Willow had been there…Her thought trailed. She missed her friends dearly, Willow, more than she had thought she would. She understood more than anyone else did, the tempt of power and magic. They were connected.   
Out the window of the ship others raced past, little bolts of energy flying through the air. Somewhere near them was the Jedi temple where Yoda was battling for the very existence of the Jedi Order. Anya wondered what had become of Spike. She had the sinking feeling they would be seeing him again if they survived this mess.  
Amidala grabbed Anya's hand, making her wake up from her thoughts. "I think something's wrong with Anakin." Anya followed the other woman's gaze towards the circle. On first glance he looked like the others, deep in concentration, and full of the Force, But when she looked closer he seemed to be sweating more than the others, a grimace was forming on his face, whereas the others seemed at peace. "I think that's what they were afraid of."  
"Get Anakin out of the circle." Anya charged towards the circle and found herself thrown back by the pulsing power of the Force. Anakin seemed to snarl in her direction without moving. "He's losing focus."  
"Anakin. Please." Amidala said in a scared, rasping tone. Anakin's eyes shot open and the whole seemed to still, then rock and creak. A great explosion of energy went through the room, sending the rest of the circle flying, except for Anakin. He seemed frozen in place. He writhed and squirmed as if some higher power held him bound.  
"We shouldn't have broken the circle." Amidala shook her head, backing away.  
"We had no choice. There was bad power flowing through him." Anya tried to calm the upset woman.   
"But now it's going everywhere." As if to prove it's truth Amidala crumpled on the floor, Heartbeats later Anya felt the same sickening Force ripple through her, but she was slightly more prepared and tried to pull it into her, and become one with it, rather than fight it.  
Buffy, having been used to being thrown was able to stand up. She tried to move towards Anakin, to help him, or stop him, she wasn't sure which, but Obi Wan grabbed her leg. "Don't touch him. He's being held by the Force. You try and touch him, you'll probably get killed."  
"Why? Why's it doing that to him."  
"He was made by the Force. And his love for Padme distracts him. And there's always been something different about him. He was never meant to be a Jedi. And now we're going to pay the price." Obi Wan shook his head sadly.   
"What are you saying?"  
"You'll see. I just hope the droids had enough time to fix the ship while we were encircled." Buffy closed her eyes, knowing Obi Wan would try and stop her again. She pranced away from his grip, towards Anakin. She thrust her hand out and shoved her palm against his chest. Vibrations of energy traveled up her arm, but she stayed up, which Obi Wan was unspeakably impressed with.  
Anakin let out a bellow that shook the ship, and made it rock again. Then he collapsed. Buffy staggered backwards. Obi Wan was right there to catch her. "It's the darkness. It grew inside him." Buffy whispered, her eyelids fluttering as she struggled not to pass out.   
"Ani?" Amidala bent down to her husband. He lashed out with his metal hand, almost catching her across the face.  
"Get away from me Padme."  
"Anakin. Come back to me."  
"I said, get away." Anakin put his hand over his face.  
"How's the ship?" With everyone had been intent on Anakin, Mace has gotten up and slipped into the cockpit. He looked at Xander now, who had asked the question.  
"We might make it now. They're working on it. We're at least out of range for the moment. But what's happening in here I'm more worried about at the moment." Anakin stood up shakily, and Amidala backed away. They all looked at his metal hand which was glowing red and seemed to be pulsing with energy, or as they would say The Force.  
"Buffy, Buffy wake up." Obi Wan shook her a little.  
"What? Can't a girl get some sleep?"  
"Buffy. Wake up."  
"Dawn?" Buffy tried to sit up in Obi Wan's arms.   
"You're the only one who can help him."  
"Me? No. He can't be helped."  
"What do you mean?" Obi Wan looked down at Buffy, showing his true feelings for his lost Padawan.  
"He's slipped. Let him go."  
"The power I have in my hand is more power than you'll ever know Obi Wan, who never let me be more than little Anakin." Anakin said in a low voice. Obi Wan gulped. Anakin's head was bent and his eyes seemed so dark and devoid of humanity as he stared down his former mentor.   
Then the ship crashed again, but this time into a building.   
"I'll go check it out." Xander slipped out of the room. Everyone seemed frozen in their spots, wondering who would make the next move. "We can get out here. The door leads into a building. There are speeders we can hijack."  
"Coming." They all seemed to wake up and follow him, except Anakin and Buffy. Obi Wan tried to stop her but she motioned him on.   
"Go. I'll be there in a minute." He left, knowing she could handle it on her own. "It's just you and me Ani. Tell me why you needed to let the dark side in? Why you had to give into love and sacrifice the world that you swore to protect?" Buffy didn't realize it, but she was staring at a mirror of herself, the person she would have become if her and Angel were selfish and hadn't given each other up.  
"I'm weak Buffy. I love, I hate. But you seem to have no trouble shutting off those feelings. Obi Wan doesn't either."  
"Because there's bigger things in the world."  
"Bigger than love?"  
"Sometimes, bigger than love."  
"Then why would you want to live in a world where love didn't conquer all?"  
"Ani, we do live in a world where love doesn't conquer all. And you're about to realize it." Anakin snarled at Buffy and ran at her. They got tangled in a furious fight. Buffy had more experience and more control of the Force and eventually pinned Anakin against the wall.   
"I'm sorry." She took aim and hit him so hard he passed out. She carried him inside the building, should the ship decided to come crashing down and left him. "We'll be back for you." Buffy walked away to find the others.  
*************************************************************************************  
Darth Sidious, when he had fled from Master Yoda thought to go back home to mend and let the rest of his minions and armies take care of the Republic's remaining champions, but then he had felt the Force scream out to him and he knew that Anakin had come over to their side. He changed his directions and listened to the Force until it stopped. That didn't necessarily mean Anakin was dead, he could just be unconscious.  
Sidious concentrated, using every trick he had learned and honed in on the younger man, knowing that somewhere nearby the other Jedi were escaping. Let them. His apprentice would take care of them.  
He found the building where Anakin was and docked. He had his attendant fetch him a flying wheelchair so he could find Anakin, the son he never had. The boy was unconscious sure enough. Sidious barked orders at his servants who loaded Anakin back into their ship. 


	16. Part 16

Part 16  
Buffy was chasing the rest of the gang in her own Speeder, feeling somewhat guilty for leaving Anakin like that. Amidala wouldn't forgive her, but she had no choice. Not if they were going to save Yoda and the Republic. She seriously doubted that the Republic should be saved, and voiced that concern. They would all have a good shock when they found out that the face of the Republic was the face of the dark side, and they had been fighting a fruitless battle all along.   
Coruscant was half destroyed. The sky was littered with Independent System Ships, the ones that were assumed to be the real enemy, the true enemy lay cloaked, just behind those ships. Buffy felt so alone in her Speeder. Cold and alone, after the lose of Willow and now Anakin, and Obi Wan's refusal of her outreaches to him. He wanted to embrace her, she knew it, but he was so set in his ways it made it difficult.  
The Jedi Temple seemed to have a swarm of bugs around it from far away, but when she drew closer she saw that it was small speeders casing her friends who had already arrived. "Great, I have to save everyone's butt." Buffy muttered to herself. She put the speeder on auto drive and took out her light saber. She tried centering herself and took a deep breath, and leaped up onto the hood of the speeder. The ships that swarmed turned on her and shot at her ship, but she parried the blows with her saber.   
*************************************************************************************  
"How come you're driving? You can barely drive on earth!" Xander held onto the speeder for dear life as Anya made their flying car swerve around yet again.  
"Because you're a wimp Xander Harris."  
"Who's jealous because she wasn't invited to be a Jedi?"  
"Hold on." Anya grit her teeth and the speeder flipped over, almost dumping Xander out into the sky. Then it plunged downward, and beyond the range of an attacking ship. The came close to hitting the Jedi Academy building. "I have an idea." Anya righted the ship, Xander was panting with anxiety. She smacked him again for good measure. "I'm going to fly past a balcony and you're going to jump." The speeder swerved to avoid a hit. Xander's teeth rattled.  
"Are you nuts?"  
"Use the Force idiot." Anya rolled her eyes. "If it wasn't for me I doubt you'd become a Jedi."  
"That's not true!" Xander fingered the linen robes he wore. "I did it myself…I think." She didn't hear him. She was coming up to a balcony and grabbing at his shirt.   
"Ready?" He didn't have a chance to respond as he tumbled from the moving vehicle, and barely grabbing the railing.   
*************************************************************************************  
Spike was staring out a window, amused by the sights outside, the small speeders trying to out maneuver the war ships. He knew eventually, his old allies would persevere. They always did. There was no doubt in his mind. But he would be ready. His wounds form his battle with Buffy were already closed, and he felt strong, and able. He could sense his Master was weakened and was eager to see him. He could also sense a surge in the darkness of the Force, wondering what had triggered it.  
He watched as a Speeder came dangerously close to the side of the building and remarked that the person inside must be either very stupid or very brave.   
A few minutes later the door of the room banged open. Spike felt immediately ashamed that he hadn't sensed the person coming. He turned.   
"Xander Harris." Spike said with a sneer.   
"Spike." Xander's voice sounded deadly, but not angry. He controlled his anger with the Force. "I came to kill you, but it is not revenge."  
"No. If it were revenge you would fall to our side."  
"And that would never happen."  
"Did to your precious friend." Spike waited, chatting, his hand on his light saber. He didn't mind the banter, it was one of his favorite parts of a fight. Xander grabbed at his saber. He was still across the room. Spike would have plenty of time to grab his if Xander lounged. "Come now. That's no way for a Jedi to behave."  
"Not a Jedi yet."  
"And you never will be, once I finish with you."  
"Don't be so sure." Xander nodded out the window. One of the enemy ships exploded, then another. The door opened again and Master Yoda came hobbling in.  
"When all is lost, believe in the Force you must."  
"What's happening?"  
"Allies are showing themselves Padawan. Darkness has descended but fight we will. Always." The building shook slightly. The door opened one more time and Buffy stepped into the room.  
"Well, well. Spike Glad you're here. Wouldn't be the same without you."  
"Come along Padawan. Other enemies are there in this building." Xander looked between Spike and Yoda, ambiguous feelings rising. But he knew, in the end, it had to be Buffy's fight. Xander squeezed Buffy's shoulder as he walked by.  
"Let's have at it then Spike. You and me. We need to finish this."  
"And we will." Spike pulled back his hood, once again revealing those disgusting tattoos. Buffy felt like gagging. He had been beautiful once, even as a vampire, but now, he was pure hate and that is the ugliest thing in the entire universe. They clashed. Their sabers bouncing off one another. It was the same dance they had started five years ago that they had never finished. It was a strange dance that took them places they never dreamed, but in the end returned to the same spot.  
Pressing their swords together they snarled at one another. Spike swung low and Buffy jumped to avoid having her legs chopped off. "You're all alone. You've always been alone." Spike taunted. Buffy knew that he took low digs when he was getting tired, and she gathered her energy.  
"Who says that's a bad thing? We come into this world alone and we sure as hell leave it, alone." Something in Buffy's statement caused him to pause. The sweeping voice of darkness that she somehow seemed to rise above held him in awe, as her blade descended, slashing him. Spike tumbled. "Who could ever learn to love a beast?" Spike groaned, and saw through fading blackness tears sliding down Buffy's face. But he felt as if it was the right way to go.   
Obi Wan was the first into the room, and saw his Padawan standing over the Sith, her saber deactivated, hanging limply in her hand.  
"You really killed Spike." Dawn observed, sounding awed.   
"He killed Willow." Buffy put her light saber down. "This ends now. You take us back to earth and leave us out of this galactic mess." She looked at Obi Wan.   
"I would except-" He was cut off by his comlink. He opened it up to reveal Darth Sidious.  
"I have your precious Padawan, Obi Wan Kenobi. And he is mine now."  
"I'm sorry." Buffy agreed. "There was nothing I could do."  
"Be prepared. There are dark days ahead. Tell the Jedi to run. Hide, because there is no place for them in my empire." The comlink turned off.  
"How did he?" Obi Wan started.   
"I'm pretty sure he's the Chancellor." Buffy said, shaking her head. They were silent for a minute, letting everything sink in. Xander returned, slightly bloody but okay, with Yoda in tow.  
"I was contacted Master Yoda."  
"Also, too was I. Disband the Jedi I must. Train is secret we will. Survival is not for the proud. Back to Earth I bid you go. Help you have, but stop this you could not, no one could."  
"What about me Master Yoda?" They looked at Padme Amidala. For the first time ever they saw the true fear in her eyes, and the child that she still was. "I'm carrying Anakin's children."  
"Then hide you we will. Send you to a secret place we will."  
"But where?" She thought for a moment and then answered her own question. "What about Alderaan? I know we can trust the Senator. It's out of the way. They won't think to look for me there."  
"You sure Anakin won't know?" Buffy looked at Padme. She nodded sadly.   
"No. I'm sure of it."  
"Send you we will. But also a decoy to Tattoine."  
"If the Jedi are disbanded what are you going to do?" Obi Wan looked at Buffy, in surprise. He hadn't thought about it. He always assumed he would stay in Coruscant. "…I could teach you as you have taught me. You asked me how I was so wise." She didn't have to ask him to come to earth, she simply reminded him of the offer. But was he prepared to change his whole world for her? A chance?  
"I know Obi Wan Kenobi is different than Anakin. Love is what we will need to conquer. But remember always, thin the line is, between love and hate." Yoda smiled. "That is why you are kept from it. But your choice it is now."  
"I will come back to earth with you, Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Obi Wan looked into her eyes, seeing the same patience and calm that had propelled him through the chaos. He wondered how he could achieve it, seeing the Sith on the floor, knowing she had killed someone she once loved.  
"Great. Earth again. And just when I thought I was rid of woman."  
"That's right Xander. I've decided that it wouldn't be so bad if you wanted me again. You'll have to grovel a bit more, but I might take you back." Everyone grinned.   
"There's just one thing we have to do first."  
*************************************************************************************  
The funeral pyre burned bright, like willow's red hair, against the blue sky. Buffy felt warm inside, not from the fire, but from the knowledge that they had done the right thing in the end, and that Willow was redeemed. Buffy vowed that when she got back to earth things would change. Things would change a lot. And it would start by giving herself into love, something she had forgotten how to do many years ago.  
Obi Wan Kenobi slipped his hand into Buffy's. "I must confess, this is all very new to me."  
"Being the leader is what I'm best at. I'll show you how it all works." Buffy leaned against him, feeling content, if not happy. It was a very strange universe, of that she was sure. But strange she was used too.   
The flames licked the sky, on that alien planet, but it could have looked the same from earth, which just goes to show, that when it all comes down to it, we are all One with The Force.  
The End. 


End file.
